274 THE PROBLEM OF KNOWLEDGE 



mill which they pursue between sensation and 

 thought, subject and object, mind and matter, are 

 not invented ad hoc, but are simply the concise re 

 ports and condensed formula of points of view and 

 practical conflicts having their source in the very 

 nature of modern life, conflicts which must be met 

 and solved if modern life is to go on its way un 

 troubled, with clear consciousness of what it is 

 about. As the philosopher has received his prob 

 lem from the world of action, so he must return 

 his account there for auditing and liquidation. 



More especially, I suggest that the tendency of 

 all the points at issue to precipitate in the opposi 

 tion of sensationalism and rationalism is due to the 

 fact that sensation and reason stand for the two 

 i forces contending for mastery in social life : the 

 radical and the conservative. The reason that the 

 contest does not end, the reason for the necessity 

 of the combination of the two in the resultant state 

 ment, is that both factors are necessary in action; 

 one stands for stimulus, for initiative ; the other for 

 control, for direction. 



I cannot hope, in the time at my command this 

 evening, to justify these wide and sweeping asser 

 tions regarding either the origin, the work, or the 

 final destiny of philosophic reflection. I simply 

 hope, by reference to some of the chief periods of 

 the development of philosophy, to illustrate to you 

 something of what I mean. 



