iy8 TKUTH AMONG Tllli: PRACM ATISTS. 



I cannot conclude this short sketch without a protest against 

 a certain pragmatist assumption, namely, that the common-sense 

 aspiration after truth is an impossible one. Prof. Walker has 

 stated succinctly what this common hope is : 



" What man wants, whether he be philosopher, scientist, or only one 

 in a crowd, is a truth which shall tell him what reality is, truth which 

 shall copy or resemble reality." 



The pragmatis't, however, proceeds to lecture the average man, 

 as if he were a child, thus : You really cannot have what you want, 

 because it does not exist ; therefore take what I can give you — 

 this pragmatic truth is as much as is good for you ; so do not 

 cry for the moon. The average man, alas ! does not exist, so he 

 cannot answer back. lUit the present writer will presume to 

 usur]) liis functions, and say that he will take this good advice 

 when the ftmdamental assumption on which it is based has been 

 proved. So far no pragmatist has been able to prove that the 

 kind of truth that man desires is out of his power. Common- 

 sense may well claim to hold the field imtil some very strong 

 argument routs it. 



Moreover, in an age like oin-s \\e may well suspect the 

 philosophy, wliich would supersede the democratic claims of 

 common-sense by what looks dangerously like a regime of abso- 

 lute monarchy in the intellectual world. In pragmatism, what 

 appeal is there from the experience of the individual? No 

 effective appeal that I can see. 



Louis XT\\ of France has been ridiculed for a dictum which 

 was never his: " I'ctaf, c'est nioi." It is a little late in the day' 

 to ask us to accept a philosophy which would practically enable 

 any enquirer to say: " La Science, c'cst iiioi." 



New Higher Oxides of Nitrogen.— Some four 



years ago V. Kaschig showed that nitric hexoxide, N.,0,-, is a first 

 jjroduct in the oxidation of nitric oxide by air or oxygen. On 

 further oxidation nitric heptoxide, N.,0^, is produced. The 

 same investigator now announces in the Chcuiikcr Zcitung, 

 '^'"'- 35' P- 1096, that the hexoxide is prepared by passing dry 

 nitric oxide gas into liquid oxygen or liquid air contained in a 

 Dewar vactnmi vessel, when the new oxide separates first as 

 greenish flocks and finally as a thick green paste. It is very un- 

 stable, and decomposes at temperatures slightly above the 

 boiling point of oxygen, forming the blue liquid trioxide mixed 

 with colourless crvstals of the tetroxide. 



