登陆注册
19902100000240

第240章

In the early history of a science the body of knowledge consists of a mass of ill-understood and ill-related observations, speculations and fancies, which the disciple takes on the authority of the master: but as principles are discovered this incoherent structure falls to pieces, and is replaced by a course of study based on experiment and inference.

So in the early growth of every institution the truth that it embodies is not perceived or expressed in simplicity, but obscurely incarnated in custom and formula.The perception of principles does not do away with the mechanism, but tends to make it simple, flexible, human, definitely serving a conscious purpose and quick to stand or fall according to its success.Under the old system everything is preserved, because men do not know just where the virtue resides; under the new the essential is kept and the rest thrown away.

Or we may say that the change is like the substitution of an alphabet for picture writing, with the result that language becomes at the same time more complex in its structure and simpler in its elements.

When once it is discovered that all speech may be reduced to a few elementary sounds the symbols of these, being sufficient to express all possible words, are more efficient and less cumbersome than the many characters that were used before.

The method of this change is that struggle for existence among ideas which is implied in the wide and free intercourse of modern life.In this only the vital, human and indispensable can survive, and truth is ever casting off superfluity and working itself down to first principles.

We have remarked this in the case of religion, and it would be easy to find the same process at work in other traditions.

The modern world, then, in spite of its complexity, may become fundamentally simpler, more consistent and reasonable.Apparently formalism can never more be an accepted and justified condition, any more than reason can be exchanged for the blind instinct of the lower animals.

It will exist wherever thought and feeling are inadequate to create a wills is much the case at present?but people will not be content with it as in the past.There will be creeds, but they will affirm no more than is really helpful to believe, ritual, but only what is beautiful or edifying;everything must justify itself by function.

Public will, like individual will, has the purpose of effecting an adaptation to conditions that is rational and economical instead of haphazard and wasteful.In general it should greatly diminish, though it can hardly obviate, the cost of social change.In commerce, for instance, it has already rendered crises less sudden and destructive n spite of the enormous scale of modern transactions nd the time should not be very far away when trouble of this sort will be so foreseen and discounted and so provided against by various sorts of insurance as to do but little damage.

In the same way the vast problem of poverty, and of the degeneracy that springs from it, can be met and in great part conquered by a long-sighted philanthropy and education.In religion there is apparently no more need of that calamitous overthrow of the foundations of belief from which many suffered in the passing generation.In the state violent revolution seems likely to disappear as fast as democracy is organized;while in international relations it will be strange if we do not see a rapid diminution of war.In all these matters, and in many others, social costs are capable of being foreseen and provided against by rational measures expressing an enlightened public will.

The guiding force back of public will, now as ever, is of course human nature itself in its more enduring characteristics, those which find expression in primary groups and are little affected by institutional changes.This nature, familiar yet inscrutable, is apparently in a position to work itself out more adequately than at any time in the past.

EndnotesThis line of thought ie developed by Professor E.A.Ross in his book, Sin and Society.The New Basis of Civilization, 61.

同类推荐
  • 弘明集

    弘明集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 罂粟花

    罂粟花

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 双溪杂记

    双溪杂记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 六壬经纬

    六壬经纬

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 老子化胡经

    老子化胡经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 健康新知:这样吃不便秘!

    健康新知:这样吃不便秘!

    简简单单,在食物里寻找通畅的秘密;轻轻松松,在吃喝里享受健康的生活。便秘这道难题,只有食物可以解答:最利便的食物;最润肠的佳肴;香醇通便茶;美味果蔬汁……通畅的秘密就在食物里,这样吃,便秘不再来。
  • 废柴召唤师:逆天小邪妃

    废柴召唤师:逆天小邪妃

    她身中奇毒,废材之身,惨遭孪生胞姐陷害,被爷爷鞭怠致死,成为人牲祭品。强魂重生,她成为元素与念力双修的逆世天才。谁说天才就要光芒万丈,她偏要扮猪吃虎。渣女心机婊?她扮白莲花!渣男阴谋来算计?她阳谋玩诡计!至亲无情无义?她狼心狗肺!当她封印解除,神格破出,当要运行法则,逆转天下。灵药?至宝?魔兽?不好意思,她先看到的,抢了!什么?不服?没关系,打到你服!他强大如神佛,一手遮天,掌控生死,却喜老鼠戏猫,装疯卖傻的对她死缠烂打。“娘子,人家说我们彼此相爱,就是为民除害……”“这话谁说的?站出来,我保证不打死他……”
  • 游戏三国之三国梦想

    游戏三国之三国梦想

    完备的统帅体系,华丽的招式系统,宏大的三国背景,给你完全耳目一新的网游感受。一个被迫解散了自己游戏工会的会长,如何在一款虚拟游戏中重拾信心的故事。
  • 总裁,离婚请签字

    总裁,离婚请签字

    林沫冉这辈子下的最大的决心,就是嫁给祁尊,赌上全部的未来。这辈子下的最狠的决心,就是为了跟祁尊离婚,不惜吸毒成瘾,染上了人生污点。他失忆了,这女人竟敢赌上幸福嫁给他,却从不用心了解他,她不过是想要一个家。一有风吹草动,她就想离婚,简直岂有此理!绕在他身边的女人不少,林沫冉只不过笑容干净了点,有什么好的?嫁他的时候干脆利落,想离的时候毅然决然,极限挑战着他的男性尊严,所以他怒了,离婚可以,你得掉三层皮。当她真的被磨掉三层皮后,站在他面前凄美的就像破茧的蝴蝶,她笑语嫣然:‘祁尊,无孕,这个理由足够离婚了吧?祁家可就你一根独苗。’他心口剧痛,面上笑的淡然:‘理由不成立,这个我可以解决。’
  • 世界和平

    世界和平

    世界是温柔的,主角是中二的。(新人新书,缓更慎入)
  • 无双大妖

    无双大妖

    金蝉子没有转世为唐僧,观士音菩萨却转世了;孙悟空没大闹天宫,却被压在了五指山下;天蓬元帅投胎猪妖,却成了妖族大圣;卷帘大将下凡为妖,却成了佛门金身罗汉……这里真的是西游世界吗?且看穿越而来的牛奎,以妖族之躯演绎妖佛道诸家之精髓,以盖世豪情诠释妖的真意!作品已经A级签约,请放心阅读!
  • 触摸生活

    触摸生活

    女子的成长,就像一条河的流淌……安静、清幽、流畅……时而溅起光晕,泛起波纹……
  • 激情后卫

    激情后卫

    一次重伤后,他变成了废人,他叫做肖恩.利文斯顿。也是一次重伤后,他变成了废人,他叫做李文。当时光交错在一起,来自中国的天赋后卫李文遇到了全能的双能卫肖恩利文斯顿。传奇从2008年的孟菲斯开始!
  • 枯崖漫录

    枯崖漫录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 九洲之净土世界

    九洲之净土世界

    九洲大陆,上古五族争雄!魔、神兽、仙禽三族,力量刚猛炽烈;妖、鬼二族,法力阴柔绵和。五族修为皆源自鸿蒙圣物——九色玄晶,可五族却自称天命、各自为尊,以至寂静的洪荒血战不止,征伐无休。上古五族鏖战,殃及羸弱的人族。创世神祇之一·坤母玄幽,不忍人族负累,擢人族先辈精英,遍布九洲大陆收集残存九色玄晶碎片。玄幽以大神通将玄晶碎片凝成人族力量之源——九元神晶,以图人族强大。九元神晶凝成,人族崛起。原本纷乱征伐的九洲大陆,因为人族的强盛,越发激烈。