The Monist, Vol. 2, 1891-1892 : $b A quarterly magazineVarious
Philosophy
The Monist, Vol. 2, 1891-1892 : $b A quarterly magazine
Various
Philosophy -- Periodicals
Now it appears to the uninitiated as if the spiritual world of science
were in every respect different from the world of objective realities
around us. While in the world of bodily realities the struggle for
existence is fought eternal peace is supposed to reign in the sacred
halls of intellectual aspirations. Says the German poet:
“_Härt in dem Raume stossen sich die Körper,_
_Leicht bei einander wohnen die Gedanken._”
This is true only in a very limited sense. Ideas are the most intolerant
beings imaginable. The struggle for existence is raging as fiercely in
the intellectual realm as in the world of realities, and there also the
law that the fittest will survive holds good.
Far be it from us to denounce this state of general warfare, for although
it is hard on those who succumb, it is the means by which evolution
becomes possible; and evolution in the domain of science means a nearer
approach to truth. If in the evolution of thought two neighboring
sciences have developed so far as to meet, a struggle will ensue. The
ideas on the two sides will have to fight before they coalesce. It
is natural that different scientists look at things from different
standpoints. They have developed a terminology which exactly suits their
purpose and thus the representatives of the different sciences are often
like people of a different nationality. They do not understand each
other because they speak different languages. Moreover they have not
unfrequently a different religion; that means, their ideas about truth
and the test of truth appear to be different and sometimes they regard
one another as no better than heathens. The battle is unavoidable,
and considering all in all, the battle is desirable, it should not be
avoided. The fittest to survive being the truest, the whole progress of
science through the struggle for existence among ideas consists in the
approach to truth.
It may be objected that there are peacemakers who will reconcile the
contending parties. True. And it is further true that the aim of every
war is peace. But a peacemaker can be successful only if his mind is
broad enough to let the whole battle be fought out within himself.
The battle itself is and will remain unavoidable. Idea stands against
idea, and the mental process of reflection is nothing but a struggle of
conflicting ideas which takes place in one and the same mind. The aim of
all reflection is the settlement of the conflict, so that all ideas will
agree. The two parties disappear in one; errors are given up, and that
which is consistent only will remain. In other words Dualism makes room
for Monism.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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