Excerpt from Studies in Human Nature The aim of these studies is to examine with all possible freedom from theoretical bias some phases of human nature which are of great interest in themselves, and in the light of the analysis to draw certain conclusions. It would have been natural to have included in such a series the consideration of certain other aspects of human nature, more especially those which concern morality and civic institutions. Morality and the conditions of citizenship arc (...) in many ways the most important forms of human life which can engage our attention at the present time; and the influence of the recent upheaval in our experience has brought before us many moral problems with a peculiar, and perhaps even a new', prominence. It has seemed better, however, to reserve the consideration of these and kindred subjects for another occasion. It is not the purpose of these papers to defend or support any of the familiarly accepted theories, whether of idealism or realism. Human nature is far more interesting and much more important than any theory, and on that account perhaps is tolerant of many theories. It may be remarked, however, that the momentum which carried forward one peculiar form of idealism - the confident and confiding idealism of a generation ago - seems now to have spent its force; and that a realism which takes the form of a new materialism can hardly claim to be in a position to show a better way. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works. (shrink)

Introduction.--Dualism and the new problem.--Truth and experience.--Plan and stages of the argument.--The interpretation of sense-experience: and of perceptual experience.--Understanding and the world of noumena and phenomena.--Self-conscious experience.--The sphere of reason, scientific experience.--The sphere of finite spirit, moral experience.--The sphere of absolute spirit, religious experience, contemplation.

"This book presents a theory of the nature of things," and counsel in respect of the practical objectives of men. The former marks no advance over the Milesian Pre-Socratics; the latter lacks even the merit of being grounded in a "hard-headed" materialism. --J. A. B.

First Published in 2002. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.