THE INTELLECTUALIST CRITERION 147 



th%.._case with our scientific ideas. In its first 

 value, the idea or hypothesis of gravitation en 

 tertained by Newton, stood, when verified, on 

 exactly the same level as the hypothesis regard 

 ing the noise in the street. Theoretically, that 

 truth might have been so isolated that its truth 

 character would disappear from thought as 

 soon as a certain factual condition was ascer 

 tained. But practically quite the opposite has 

 happened. The idea operates in many other in 

 quiries, and operates no longer as mere idea, but 

 as proved idea. Such truths get an &quot; eternal &quot; 

 status one irrespective of application just now 

 anoThere, because there are so many nows and heres 

 in which they are useful. Just as to say an idea 

 was true all the time is a way of saying in retro 

 spect that it has come out in a certain fashion, 

 so to say that an idea is &quot; eternally true &quot; is to 

 indicate prospective modes of application which 

 are indefinitely anticipated. Its meaning, there 

 fore, is strictly pragmatic. It does not indicate 

 a property inherent in the idea as intellectualized 

 existence, but denotes a property of use and 

 employment. Always at hand when needed is 

 a good enough eternal for reasonably minded 

 persons. 



