However great my esteem for M. LeRoy's talent, whatever the ingenuity of
this thesis, I can not wholly accept it. Certes, I am in accord on many
points with M. LeRoy, and he has even cited, in support of his view,
various passages of my writings which I am by no means disposed to
reject. I think myself only the more bound to explain why I can not go
with him all the way.
M. LeRoy often complains of being accused of scepticism. He could not
help being, though this accusation is probably unjust. Are not
appearances against him? Nominalist in doctrine, but realist at heart,
he seems to escape absolute nominalism only by a desperate act of faith.
The fact is that anti-intellectualistic philosophy in rejecting analysis
and 'discourse,' just by that condemns itself to being intransmissible;
it is a philosophy essentially internal, or, at the very least, only its
negations can be transmitted; what wonder then that for an external
observer it takes the shape of scepticism?
Therein lies the weak point of this philosophy; if it strives to remain
faithful to itself, its energy is spent in a negation and a cry of
enthusiasm. Each author may repeat this negation and this cry, may vary
their form, but without adding anything.
And, yet, would it not be more logical in remaining silent? See, you
have written long articles; for that, it was necessary to use words. And
therein have you not been much more 'discursive' and consequently much
farther from life and truth than the animal who simply lives without
philosophizing? Would not this animal be the true philosopher?
However, because no painter has made a perfect portrait, should we
conclude that the best painting is not to paint? When a zoologist
dissects an animal, certainly he 'alters it.' Yes, in dissecting it, he
condemns himself to never know all of it; but in not dissecting it, he
would condemn himself to never know anything of it and consequently to
never see anything of it.
Certes, in man are other forces besides his intellect; no one has ever
been mad enough to deny that. The first comer makes these blind forces
act or lets them act; the philosopher must _speak_ of them; to speak of
them, he must know of them the little that can be known, he should
therefore _see_ them act. How? With what eyes, if not with his
intellect? Heart, instinct, may guide it, but not render it useless;
they may direct the look, but not replace the eye. It may be granted
that the heart is the workman, and the intellect only the instrument.
Yet is it an instrument not to be done without, if not for action, at
least for philosophizing? Therefore a philosopher really
anti-intellectualistic is impossible. Perhaps we shall have to declare
for the supremacy of action; always it is our intellect which will thus
conclude; in allowing precedence to action it will thus retain the
superiority of the thinking reed. This also is a supremacy not to be
disdained.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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