Buchanan's Journal of Man, September 1887: Volume 1, Number 8 — John Shaqi
Buchanan's Journal of Man, September 1887: Volume 1, Number 8
Philosophy
Buchanan's Journal of Man, September 1887: Volume 1, Number 8
Medicine -- Periodicals; Phrenology -- Periodicals; Science -- Periodicals
The "Divine" Plato (of whom Emerson said, "Plato is philosophy, and
philosophy is Plato") described the immortal Gods as driving up in
chariots through the dome of the heavens to _get upon the roof_, and
look abroad at infinite truth, as they stand or drive upon the
revolving dome, followed by _ambitious souls who barely get their
heads through the roof_ with difficulty, and catch a hasty glimpse of
infinite truth, before they tumble back, or lame their wings, or
perhaps drop into the body of some brute. The revolving dome and the
ambitious souls peeping through the roof, would be a good subject for
the next symposium. They might tell us whether these ambitious souls
that peep through the roof are Concordian philosophers, or belong to
the schools of Aquinas and _Duns Scotus_.
The philosophy of the Greeks is worth no more to-day than their
chemistry or their physiology. The lingering superstition of believing
because they had famous warriors, orators, statesmen, historians,
poets, and sculptors, while entirely ignorant of science and
philosophy, that their philosophic puerilities are worthy of adoration
in the 19th century, a superstition which makes a fetish of the
writings of Plato and Aristotle, has been tolerated long enough, and
as no one has attempted to give a critical estimate of this effete
literature since Lord Bacon did something in that way, I shall not
much longer postpone this duty.
* * * * *
RECTIFICATION OF CEREBRAL SCIENCE.--In the October number the
rectification of cerebral science as to psychic functions will be
shown by appropriate engravings, showing how far the discoveries and
doctrines of Gall and Spurzheim are sustained by positive science. In
the further development of the subject, hereafter, the true value and
proper position of the discoveries of Ferrier, and the continental
vivisectionists will be explained, though but meagre contributions to
psychology, they furnish very valuable additional information as to
the functions of the brain.
HUMAN LONGEVITY.
Is not longevity in some sense a measure of true civilization or
improvement of the race? It is certainly an evidence of conformity to
the Divine laws of life and health, which reward right action with
happiness, health, and long life. I cannot, therefore, think the study
of longevity unimportant. To every one of us it is a vital question,
for death is regarded as the greatest calamity, and is the severest
penalty of angry enemies, or of outraged laws.
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