PHILOSOPHY 263 



concrete problems, especially the problems of man's 

 social and historical life, then is it possible to attach to 

 this same tradition Ernest RENAN and Hippolyte TAINE. 

 Not, however, that the standpoint of either of these 

 original thinkers can be identified the one with the other 

 or with orthodox Positivism. RENAN, in his "Dialogues 

 et fragments philosophiques " and "L'Avenir de la 

 science/' supports the standpoint of scientific probabilism; 

 while TAINE, in his famous work "De 1'intelligence" 

 unfolds and illustrates the method of intellectual analysis. 

 Both Renan and Taine are quite as well, if not better, 

 known for their great historical than for their philoso- 

 phical works. (Vide Renan: "Lesorigines du Christia- 

 nisme," "Histoire du peuple d'Israel," "Vie de Jesus;" 

 Taine: "Histoire de la litterature anglaise" and "Les 

 origines de la France contemporaine.") 



Today the tradition of Positivism is represented by a 

 very influential and closely organized school with an organ 

 of its own, "L'Annee sociologique." fimile DURKHEIM, 

 the recognized leader of the school, has developed the 

 method of its procedure in "Les regies de la methode 

 sociologique. " This method has been carried out in a 

 systematic and brilliant manner by DuRKHEiM,in "De la 

 division du travail," "Le suicide," "Les formes elementaires 

 de la vie religieuse" and other studies; by LEVY-BRUHL, 

 in "La morale et la science des mceurs" and "Les fonc- 

 tions men tales dans les societes inferieures;" by C. 

 BOUGLE in "Le regime des castes;" by H. HUBERT and 

 M. MAUSS, in "Le sacrifice," "La magie," and other 

 studies; by Fr. SIMIAND, in "Le salaire des ouvriers des 

 mines;" by M. HALBWACHS in "La classe ouvriere et les 

 niveaux de vie;" and by numerous others in the studies 

 of "L'Annee sociologique." 



Aside from its spiritualistic and positivistic tendencies, 

 French thought has shown its vigor and originality in 



