APRIL 12, 1912] 
New 
8vo. 
of Mental Philosophy, Cambridge. 
York, G. P. Putnam’s Sons. 1911. 
Pp. xv-+ 490. Price, $3.00 net. 
Tt was inevitable that the Gifford founda- 
tion for “natural theology ” in the four Scots 
universities should produce some notable 
books, one or two bad books, and non-signifi- 
cant books not a few. Professor Ward’s Aber- 
deen lectures of 1896-98, published under the 
title, “Naturalism and Agnosticism,” have 
taken rank in the first class long since, as 
three editions attest. They embody a criti- 
cism of the Spencerian type of thinking, so 
astute and resourceful that, possibly, the as- 
sault need never be undertaken again. The 
present lectures are no less important, but, 
unlike their predecessors, they travel far from 
the beaten track of the “positive” sciences. 
It is the more necessary, then, to describe 
their contents fairly for readers of ScrmENcE. 
In the decade that has elapsed between the 
two courses, the fortunes of the “ mechanical 
theory ” have tended to sink lower and lower, 
so much so, that the spirit of revolt against it 
may be said to dominate contemporary phi- 
losophy, particularly in France, and this with 
scarce a protest, certainly with no effective 
protest, from the scientific camp; nay, if any- 
thing, with approval—witness McDougall’s re- 
cent “ Body and Mind.” But, if the “ mechan- 
ical theory” be thus relegated to the limbo of 
discards, we are confronted: forthwith by a new 
situation. We must try “to ascertain what 
we can know, or reasonably believe, concern- 
ing the constitution of the world, interpreted 
throughout and strictly in terms of Mind” 
(p. v). Professor Ward’s new work is a can- 
did attempt to face this problem, and to think 
it through. Accordingly, its plan and main 
contents are as follows: 
Part I. is a most adequate discussion of 
pluralism. After two introductory lectures 
(1., II.) and a discourse on the fundamental 
nature and contemporary ascendancy of this 
theory (III.), the author analyzes contingency 
in the world (IV.), evolution (V.) and the 
pluralistic goal (VI.). He then devotes two 
lectures (VII., VIII.) to Hegel—“ it must be 
confessed, largely a digression” (p. vi). Part 
I. ends with critical treatment of the limits 
SCIENCE 
587 
and difficulties of pluralism (IX., X.), whence 
Part IL., Theism, originates. “ For pluralism, 
though empirically warranted, we find defect- 
ive and unsatisfactory; but the theism to 
which it points is only an ideal—an ideal, how- 
ever, that, as both theoretically and practically 
rational, may claim our faith though it trans- 
cend our knowledge” (pp. v, vi). Here Pro- 
fessor Ward plunges in medias res at once, 
with discussion of the idea of creation (XI.), 
and of the cosmology of theism (XII.). In- 
vestigations of freedom and foreknowledge 
(XIII, XIV.) follow. Lectures XV.—-XVII. 
deal with the problem of evil in its relations 
to pessimism, optimism and the moral order. 
Lecture XVIII. presents theories of a future 
life and, as a pendant, we have a chapter on 
faith and knowledge (XIX). The concluding 
lecture, the Realm of Ends, is in the nature of 
a summary, and may be read as an introduc- 
tion to the book. Twenty-seven pages of 
supplementary notes (on contingency, crea- 
tion, the relation of body and mind, the tem- 
poral and the eternal, and the divine experi- 
ence), and an adequate index, complete the 
volume. 
In view of the subjects discussed, it is well, 
perhaps, to add by way of elucidation, if not 
warning, that Professor Ward has always 
kept in view the condition laid down by the 
founder. Lord Gifford’s will contains this 
direction: 
I wish the lecturers to treat their subject as a 
strictly natural science, . . . without reference to 
or reliance upon any supposed special or excep- 
tional or so-called miraculous revelation. ... They 
may freely discuss all questions about man 3 con- 
ceptions of God or the Infinite, their origin, na- 
ture, and truth, whether he can have any such 
conceptions, whether God is under any or what 
limitations, and so on. 
This is precisely what Professor Ward has 
done; and, to quote the words of the first lec- 
turer on the foundation, Max Miiller, the book 
“must be reckoned among the signs of the 
times, pregnant with meaning.” For it is the 
latest pronouncement, not simply of a veteran, 
but of one of the ripest and, from the scientific 
point of view, best equipped, among living 
thinkers. 
