310 THEORY AND ADMINISTRATION 



theoretical discussion of the essential characteristics of the material 

 and phenomena with which such science has to deal. When we 

 thus speak of a philosophy of a science as dealing with its theoretical 

 principles, it is not to be understood, however, that it is therefore 

 concerned with its hypothetical or undetermined part. A philosophy 

 in this sense is theoretical only in the sense of being abstract, that is, 

 as dealing with generalizations rather than with particulars, and as 

 predicating essential and fundamental qualities rather tfian acci- 

 dental or unessential characteristics. Its results are, or should be, 

 as exact as those reached in the corresponding sciences and arts. 

 Indeed, the correctness of the principles reached in these latter 

 fields is almost wholly conditioned upon the truth of the distinctions 

 philosophically determined. 



In its methods and aims, political philosophy is, upon the one side, 

 teleological or ideal; upon the other side, scientific or analytical. 

 Upon its ideal side it seeks to discover the nature of political society 

 and the legitimate sphere of its authority as determined by the 

 nature of men, that is to say, by their need of political organization 

 for the satisfaction of their proper desires and for the realization of 

 their possible perfections. It thus defines the state in terms of its 

 end, and essays to determine what its activities and organization 

 should be, rather than to describe its form and functions as they 

 actually are. Upon its analytical side, political philosophy is wholly 

 concerned with the state as it is, with its nature as determined by 

 the elements of which it is composed, and by the manner in which 

 they are united. From the innumerable and diverse ways in which 

 political organs are framed and political authority manifested, polit- 

 ical philosophy discovers those underlying qualities which are essen- 

 tial and common to them all. From its search for the real source 

 and nature of political power or sovereignty, it returns with criteria 

 according to which political phenomena of all kinds and all ages 

 may logically and satisfactorily be analyzed and classified. Political 

 philosophy thus, upon its analytical side, affords the means of uniting 

 into an harmonious whole that multitude of phenomena which, in 

 appearance, is so confused and confusing. It makes it no longer 

 necessary to declare law, the state, or sovereignty to be one thing at 

 one time and another thing at another. In its light the changes or 

 evolutions of political institutions and activities are seen to be 

 changes in form or manner of outward manifestation of political 

 authority, and not alterations in nature. History shows us that 

 neither in governmental organization nor in actual activity and 

 social efficiency have two states ever agreed, nor has the same state 

 remained the same in these respects at different periods of its exist- 

 ence. Yet the state itself, considered abstractly as a political power, 

 has not changed in character. Its sovereignty has remained the 



