Furthermore, it has been recognized that the general demand of idealism is met when reality is regarded as not outside of or other than knowledge, whatever be true of the question of dependence. Thus the conception of _experience_ is equally convenient here, in that it signifies what is immediately present in knowledge, without affirming it to _consist in_ being so presented.[411:11] [Sidenote: Idealistic Tendencies in Realism. The Immanence Philosophy.] § 207. And at this point idealism is met by a latter-day realism. The traditional modern realism springing from Descartes was dualistic. It was supposed that reality in itself was essentially extra-mental, and thus under the necessity of being either represented or misrepresented in thought. But the one of these alternatives is dogmatic, in that thought can never test the validity of its relation to that which is perpetually outside of it; while the other is agnostic, providing only for the knowledge of a world of appearance, an improper knowledge that is in fact not knowledge at all. But realism is not necessarily dualistic, since it requires only that being shall not be dependent upon being known. Furthermore, since empiricism is congenial to naturalism, it is an easy step to say that nature is directly known in perception. This first takes the form of positivism, or the theory that only such nature as can be directly known can be really known. But this agnostic provision for an unknown world beyond, inevitably falls away and leaves _reality as that which is directly known, but not conditioned by knowledge_. Again the term _experience_ is the most useful, and provides a common ground for _idealistic realism_ with _realistic idealism_. A new epistemological movement makes this conception of experience its starting-point. What is known as the _immanence philosophy_ defines reality as experience, and means by experience the subject matter of all knowledge--not defined as such, but regarded as capable of being such. Experience is conceived to be _both in and out_ of selves, cognition being but one of the special systems into which experience may enter.[413:12] [Sidenote: The Interpretation of Tradition as the Basis for a New Construction.] § 208. Does this eclecticism of the age open any philosophical prospect? Is it more than a general compromise--a confession of failure on the part of each and every radical and clear-cut doctrine of metaphysics and epistemology? There is no final answer to such a question short of an independent construction, and such procedure would exceed the scope of the present discussion. But there is an evident interpretation of tradition that suggests a possible basis for such construction. [Sidenote: The Truth of the Physical System, but Failure of Attempt to Reduce All Experience to it.]