I OBJECT AND SCOPE OF PHILOSOPHY 61 



matter, and not in its method of investigation, it 

 would seem to be an obvious conclusion, that 

 philosophers are likely to be successful in their 

 inquiries, in proportion as they are familiar with 

 the application of scientific method to less ab- 

 struse subjects;^ just as it seems to require no 

 elaborate demonstration, that an astronomer, who 

 wishes to comprehend the solar system, would do 

 well to acquire a preliminary acquaintance with 

 the elements of physics. And it is accordant with 

 this presumption, that the men who have made 

 the most important positive additions to philoso- 

 phy, such as Descartes, Spinoza, and Kant, not to 

 mention more recent examples, have been deeply 

 imbued with the spirit of physical science; and, 

 in some cases, such as those of Descartes and 

 Kant, have been largely acquainted with its 

 details. On the other hand, the founder of 

 Positivism no less admirably illustrates the con- 

 nection of scientific incapacity with philosophical 

 incompetence/ In truth, the laboratory is the 

 fore-court of the temple of philosophy; and whoso 

 has not offered sacrifices and undergone purifica- 

 tion there, has little chance of admission into the 

 sanctuary. 



Obvious as these considerations may appear 

 to be, it would be wrong to ignore the fact that 

 their force is by no means universally admitted. 

 On the contrary, the necessity for a proper psycho- 

 logical and physiological training to the student 



