Yervant H. Krikorian

Singer’s Philosophy of Experimentalism

The central issue of philosophy is the theory of evidence. What basically differentiates philosophies is the differences in this theory. The philosophers who have a similar conception of evidence have, usually, similar world views, whereas those who differ in their conception of evidence have, usually, different world views. The major modern schools of philosophy—the rationalistic, the empirical, and the critical—are based on the theory of evidence that is peculiar to each of them. The late Edgar A. Singer, J.r, one of the most significant of recent American philosophers, deals with this theory in his major book Experience and Reflection, which has been published posthumously and edited competently by C. West Churchman, one of Singer’s former students.

American Philosophy of the Recent Past

Philosophy at its best is an enlightening reflection on existence and the conscious pursuit of man’s maximum good. It is generally an individual enterprise: Plato, Spinoza, and Kant had to do their own solitary philosophic thinking. Yet great social changes, emerging cultural patterns, and new sweeping scientific ideas, by presenting common problems, tend to create philosophic trends.

Hocking and the Dilemmas of Modernity

Many are deeply aware that contemporary civilization is in travail. The root causes of this condition and the patterns of life that will finally emerge from the current political, ideological, and religious conflicts are highly ambiguous. Professor William Ernest Hocking in his book The Coming World Civilization 1 approaches these problems with a fully developed philosophic system and after a rich experience of world cultures. His analysis is many-dimensional, presenting significant comments on contemporary civilization and finely integrating the threads of the discussion.

Brand Blanshard’s Rationalistic Idealism

In the present era the anti-rationalistic forces have been dominant factors. Reason has often been impotent in dealing with the passions of individuals, in reconciling the conflicts of economic and political groups, and in harmonizing the interests of races and nations. Yet many desire the healing guidance of reason. Among contemporary philosophers Brand Blanshard has been one of the strongest advocates of reason. In his writings as well as in his activities he has championed reason against the destructive forces of irrationalism. In this pursuit we would be happy to join him. But Blanshard as a philosopher has developed a rationalistic idealism which goes far beyond the usual use and meaning of reason, an aspect which deserves an independent examination.

The Philosophy of Alfred North Whitehead

In the modern era there have been many penetrating philosophic analyses of specific. well-defined areas—of science, politics, morals and art—but bold, sweeping systems, such as give a broad synthesis of reality and are generally meant when we speak of metaphysics, have been rare. One reason for this scarcity has been the reaction against the grandiose, dogmatic systems of the past; another has been the contemporary positivistic temper of mind that tends to limit philosophic claims to observable statements; and still a third has been the realization that the task of metaphysics, if it is to be done in a responsible manner, is infinitely difficult. Alfred North Whitehead is one of the few exceptions. He has constructed a metaphysics that is at once spacious, coherent and undogmatic—one that has integrated the latest developments of science with other rich phases of human experience.

Dewey and the Ethics of Naturalism

In the last hundred years or so, great changes have taken place in our conception of the physical world, of man and society, as well as in our pattern of living. The theory of organic evolution, by establishing continuity between man and other living beings, has shown him to be a product of nature. Social and cultural researches, by uncovering a large variety of culture patterns, have given a clearer account of the structure of society. At the turn of the century, relativity and quantum theories provided us with a new picture of nature. Equally striking have been the changes in our mode of living. Technology and industrialization have imposed new shapes on our civilization. There has been an intense urbanization, and a consequent change in community and family life.

Cohen’s Rationalistic Naturalism

Morris Raphael Cohen was one of the most eminent figures in recent American philosophy. His critical mind, his erudition, his incisive expression, and his philosophic outlook made him a unique figure. His major work is Reason and Nature. Some of his other important books are The Meaning of History, Law and the Social Order and Preface to Logic. Cohen had a deep interest in the philosophy of science, in metaphysics, in social philosophy, in legal philosophy, and in the philosophy of history. His contribution to legal philosophy especially has been widely recognized. The present discussion of his philosophy will be limited to his general view of nature with some reference to his ethical theory.

Sheldon’s Synthetic Metaphysics

Wilmon Sheldon has known better than most contemporary philosophers the art of surveying reality from an inclusive point of view. In a number of previous valuable volumes he has argued for a synthetic metaphysics which finds its full expression in his recent major work, God and Polarity.1 Sheldon’s thesis is that metaphysical systems “are in the main correct—except when they think they have refuted the others. It may be that if the onlooker would dig beneath the surface, he would see that the quarrels are needless, that each type of metaphysics has shown its truth—though not always in the way it supposes—that the warring factions can pool their results without any being relegated to inferior grade”.2 As long as philosophers continue their exclusive love and mutual refutations, their quest “cannot command the respect of earnest souls who have the good of humanity deeply at heart; nor does it deserve the same”.3 Philosophers must set their house in order. United “they may stand, divided they must fall”.4 Sheldon in developing this high purpose presents one of the most impressive contemporary metaphysical systems. It is rich in insights and vast in scope. I shall first state his metaphysics in large outline, and then estimate some of his basic ideas.