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Show 1938] Bennion: The Contributions of Philosophy to Civilization Whitehead and Dewey. 35 Paulsen aptly says, "All roads in science lead to philosophy, only not the road through the air."4 Philosophy in its most general interests and applications has to do with values, meanings, and purposes of life; thus social philosophy, philosophy of religion and philosophy of education have very practical bearings upon the policies of social institutions and the outlook of individuals upon life. social progress of modern times has The about very largely through the influence of social philosophy. The political philosophies of John Locke and Rousseau, for instance, have contributed much toward development of modern democracies. The concept of democracy is a philosophical one and must be defended largely on these grounds. The fundamental assertions of the Dec laration of Independence and of Lincoln's Gettysburg address are of this nature. The statesmen of Great Britain, the founders of this country, and the great political leaders that have contributed toward its spiritual development have been social philosophers. Among American authors Henry George is now rated as an outstanding social philosopher whose fundamental principles have contributed. much toward recent progress, although some of the par ticular reform measures he proposed are not workable under conditions that now come obtain. In the present world situation there is far greater need of propagation and dissemination of sound social philosophy than there is of new discoveries in natural science. It is a matter of common knowledge and frequent re mark that the most grave danger to civilization today is the combination of poverty and riches-poverty in application of sound social philosophy and richness in knowledge of science and its application in inhuman Thus ways. science diverted to these unethical ends may and, if thus diverted, certainly will become a curse. The real worth of things, in themselves neither good nor bad morally, depends upon what use is made of them. It is the primary business of social philosophy to determine as nearly as may be what is good in itself, what is of greatest worth, and what are the best means of realizing these values. This will include consideration of to what uses shall science and inventions be put in order best to contribute toward realization of the highest good. What shall be the course of civilization that it may best serve the permanent good of individuals and social institutions? What are the rights and the duties of individuals, and in social ethics what also are the rights and duties of social institutions in relation to their individual members, and in relation to other institutions? This has become one of the most vital questions of today. The rise of the totalitarian state is tending to destroy other social institutions in what have been regarded as centers of civilization and culture. Leaders of both religious and philosophical thought are chal lenging the right of the state to dominate the church as is now being done in Germany and Russia. In our own country there is a tendency for the state to encroach upon the functions of the family not only because the family often neglects its rights and duties and casts its proper responsibilities upon the state, but also there is sometimes a tendency for the state to usurp the family's perogatives. Development of a philosophy of life is the most important aspect of the education of every individual. Compared with this his technical knowledge of any branch of natural science is of little We do, of course, consequence. need highly trained specialists in every branch of science. but the masses of the people may secure the material benefits of the applications of science without themselves knowing anything about the principles involved, e.g. in cse of a needed surgical operation. On the other hand, every normal indi vidual should have a philosophy of life, and this he cannot have without himself philosophizing. 4 Introduction to Philosophy, page 4. Henry Holt & Co. |
