620 



PHILOSOPHICAL THOUGHT. 



52. 



Lachelier 

 and Re- 

 nouvier. 



that we have to turn for a fuller appreciation and a 

 clearer definition of the problems I refer to. In France 

 the problems of the Contingent and the Discontinuous 

 have found respectively independent and original treat- 

 ment in the schools of which Jules Lachelier and Charles 

 Renouvier form the centres. The writings of the former 

 are few two or three essays, 1 showing great originality 

 and depth of thought ; but through his teaching at the 

 Fxole Normale, Lachelier has had a profound and far- 

 reaching influence on recent French philosophy. On the 

 other hand, Charles Renouvier has elaborated his views 

 in many critical, historical, and constructive works. 



From an historical point of view it is interesting to 

 see how these two independent lines of speculation, as 

 well as several others of a more exact nature, are lead- 

 ing the most recent current of French philosophical 

 thought towards a renewed study and appreciation of 

 Leibnizian ideas. Perhaps the most important and 

 suggestive among these writings is the short tract by 

 Lachelier entitled, ' Du Fondement de 1'Induction.' It 

 was published in 1871, and deserves to be regarded as 

 a corner-stone in the edifice of modern thought. Readers 

 of the earlier writings of Lotze will find in it a clear 

 and elegant exposition of many ideas similar to his, 

 though the subject is approached from a different 

 side. 



The main idea which runs through the whole of the 

 discussion is that the inductive process of reasoning, as 

 we actually employ it, depends not only upon the neces- 



1 The writings of Jules Lachelier 

 (1832-1875) have been republished 



in a small volume (Felix Alcan, 

 4th ed., 1902). 



