288 THE PROBLEM OF KNOWLEDGE 



to discover and verify truth for himself, and 

 thereby not only to direct his own conduct, but to 

 become an influential and decisive factor in the or 

 ganization of life itself. Modern philosophy is the 

 formulation of this creed, both in general and in 

 its more specific implications. We often forget 

 that the technical problem &quot; how knowledge is pos 

 sible,&quot; also means &quot; how knowledge is possible &quot; ; 

 how, that is, shall the individual be able to back 

 himself up by truth which has no authority save 

 that of its own intrinsic truthfulness. Science, on 

 the other hand, is simply this general faith or creed 

 asserting itself in detail; it is the practical faith 

 at work engaged in subjugating the foreign terri 

 tory of ignorance and falsehood step by step. If 

 the ultimate outcome depends upon this detailed 

 and concrete work, we must not forget that the 

 earnestness and courage, as well as the intelligence 

 and clearness with which the task has been under 

 taken, have depended largely upon the wider, even 

 if vaguer, operation of philosophy. 



But the student of philosophy knows more than 

 that the problem of knowledge has been with in 

 creasing urgency and defmiteness the persistent 

 and comprehensive problem. So conscious is he of 

 the two opposed theories regarding the nature of 

 science, that he often forgets the underlying 

 bond of unity of which we have been speaking. 

 These two opposing schools are thosq which we 



