io8 HUMANISM 



VI 



which admits both and vindicates the use of the one, with 

 out invalidating the other (even though it regards its 

 importance as methodological and subordinate rather than 

 as supreme), is manifestly superior to a philosophy which 

 absolutely rejects one of the most valuable of the working 

 assumptions of science. And if we regard the fact that 

 there is a development of the world in Time as the essence 

 of Evolution, it is obvious that only a theory which accepts 

 this Time-process as an ultimate datum will be capable 

 of yielding a philosophy of Evolution and is worthy of 

 the name of Evolutionism. 



The second point concerns the ultimate difficulties 

 which are left over in every known system of philosophy, 

 and form antinomies which are insoluble for the human 

 reason as it stands. Such on Dr. McTaggart s theory are 

 the existence of change and imperfection, such, in his 

 opinion, would be the beginning of the Time-process on 

 mine. Now in face of these facts an abstract metaphysic 

 is in an extremely awkward position. If it scorns to 

 excuse its failure by pious phrases concerning the infinite 

 capacity of a non-human mind to solve the insoluble, if it 

 dreads to have recourse to the more impious dpybs Xoyo&amp;lt;? 

 of Mr. Bradley, and to postulate an Absolute which 

 will absorb, submerge, suppress, and reconcile all 

 difficulties ex officio, in a manner no doubt highly satisfac 

 tory to itself and Mr. Bradley, two alternatives remain. 

 Either the idea that a contradiction is a necessary proof 

 of falsehood must be given up, and one or both sides of 

 the antinomy must be accepted in spite of everything 

 in which case it is hard to say what weapon would be left 

 wherewith to refute the most patent absurdities ; or one 

 must hope for such an enlargement of the human reason 

 as will give it an insight into what is at present incom 

 prehensible. For the difficulties in question have been 

 under scrutiny too long to render it credible that any 

 thinkable solution has been overlooked. If, however, 

 a development of the human mind be admitted, the 

 reality of the Time-process, in which that development 

 takes place, can no longer be denied, and abstract meta- 



