Philosophy For Our Times

1 C. E. M. JOAD, M. A., D. Lnr. Head of the Department of Philosophy and Psychology Birkbeck College, University of London OUR 1941 London READERS UNION LIMITED by arrangement with l THOMAS NELSON SONS LTD CONTENTS INTRODUCTORY I. THE CONTEMPORARY SITUATION ... 9 PART I. CRITICAL The Doubtful Reality of the So-called Real World II. THE WORLD OF COMMON SENSE. How FAR is rr REAL 39 III. THE WORLD OF SCIENCE. ITS METHOD AND RESULTS 78 IV. THAT SCIENCE TELLS us LITTLE ABOUT SOME THINGS, AND THAT THERE ARE NO THINGS ABOUT WHICH IT TELLS us EVERYTHING 90 V. THAT SCIENCE CAN GIVE NO SATISFACTORY ACCOUNT OF MIND 104 VI. THAT SCIENCE CAN GIVE NO SATISFACTORY ACCOUNT OF VALUES . . . .127 PART II. CONSTRUCTIVE The Reality of the World of Value and Some Consequences VIL THE SUBJECTIVIST ASSERTION THAT VALUES ARE FIGMENTS 157 v CONTENTS VIII. THAT VALUES ARE ON THE CONTRARY REAL AND OBJECTIVE 173 IX. THAT VALUES ARE ULTIMATE AND CON STITUTE THE RIGHTFUL OBJECTS OF HUMAN DESIRE 198 X. SOME ACCOUNT OF THE EVOLUTION OF MANS KNOWLEDGE OF VALUE .... 220 XL PRACTICAL CONCLUSIONS I. IN ETHICS. HEDONISM AND ITS REFUTATION . .261 XII. SOME RULES FOR THE RIGHT CONDUCT OF LIFE 285 XIII. PRACTICAL CONCLUSIONS II. IN POLITICS. STATE ABSOLUTISM, ITS REFUTATION AND SOME CONSEQUENCES . . . 307 XIV. WHAT MAKES A STATE GREAT . . . 332 POSTSCRIPT 360 INDEX 363 vi INTRODUCTORY INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER I THE CONTEMPORARY SITUATION PHILOSOPHY is often charged with a failure to produce results. In contrast with steady progress in the world of science, where each generation builds upon the foundations laid by its predecessors, the history of philosophy appears as a series of marches and counter-marches in the course of whicheach philosopher seeks to overthrow the conclusions which his predeces sor has sought to establish. Now it must be admitted that, unlike science which has produced motor cars, electric light and anaesthetics as well as poison gas, explosive bombs and fast-flying aeroplanes from which they may be dropped upon defenceless people, philosophy has no concrete results to show. For philosophy is con cerned not so muchwith producing as with understanding. The Plight of Civilization. To an age governed by the stomach-and-pocket view of life and accustomed to demand of every activity prof fered for its approval that it shall deliver the goods, understanding seems no doubt an inadequate object of pursuit. Yet something is, it is obvious, grievously wrong 9 PHILOSOPHY FOR OUR TIMES with our civilization, and it is high time we set about the business of trying to understand what it is. Science has won for us powers fit for the gods, yet we bring to their use the mentality of schoolboys or savages. We can talk across continents and oceans, install television sets in the home, hear Big Ben striking in North Borneo photographs speak and sing X-rays are the windows through which we observe and snapshot our insides roads are made of rubber crops ripened by electricity hair waved, by electric current distance melts, and the aeroplane girdles the earth. In a word, the power that machines have given us has transformed human life yet so little are we able to make a proper use of this power that, instead of using our machines as a means to the good life, we delegate to them the very functions of living. We live a press-the-button existence we no longer walk we go out in the car. We no longer climb we go up inthe lift. We no longer converse we turn on the radio. We no longer sing or make music we put on a record. I once visited some friends in America for a game of bridge. Delightedly they drew my attention to a new gadget which relieved the players of the duty of dealing the cards. One placed the gadget upon the table, one pressed a button, and a mechanism began to rotate, spraying out the cards to each of the four players. My host was very proud of this gadget it was wonderful, he said, thus to be saved the trouble of dealing. Politely I echoed his admiration...