54 JOURNAL AND PROCEEDINGS 



there ended this first series of Philosophers who struggled in their 

 own way with the problem which nature presents to every thoughtful 

 mind. 



The series has extended over nearly 200 years. There has been 

 steady growth, each thought or system springing from, being con- 

 ditioned by that which has gone' before it. And the period is by no 

 means wanting in permanent interest and value. 



As to the Sophists, who came next, they should have a short 

 paper to themselves alone. A single thought, however, may serve to 

 indicate their position, and their wide difference from those whom 

 we have considered. Up to this time it was all along taken for 

 granted that our thought, subjective consciousness, is entirely deter- 

 termined by objective reality, by that which lies outside of us. 

 Things without us are the source of our knowledge. Not so, said 

 the Sophists ; our thought is not determined by things outward, but 

 things outward are determined by our thought. Hitherto the externa^ 

 object was everything and the thinking subject was totally submissive. 

 Now the thinking subject is exalted and the external subject is 

 almost sacrificed altogether. There is no absolute truth, no absolute 

 good. That is true which is true to me, and false which is false to 

 me. That is good which gratifies me, and evil which gives me dis- 

 pleasure, and so with every one else. Hence the same thing may be 

 both true and false, good and evil, it all depends o^ the individual 

 man. "The individual man is the measure of all things," so 

 taught the Sophist Protagoras. It would be wrong, however, to con- 

 demn the Sophists as a set of quibblers. In some respects they 

 rendered genuine service alike to the Athens of their day and to the 

 progress of thought. And here must end this paper, already too 

 long, much as we would wish to tarry until the unsightly figure and 

 winning voice and relentless questioning and noble, earnest spirit of 

 Socrates enter upon the scene. 



