THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1929.
"FETTERS OF
FREEDOM'
Religious And Scientific Truth
NO CONTRADICTION
A Few Preliminary Principles
Again take reason.
"All Engilshmen speak English. But Jones is an Englishman. There- fore Jones speaks English."
The argument is compelling If the first two propositions are true. But I try again:
"All Englishmen speak English.
scorn.
THE CHINA MAIL,
They almply knew that they were public. They deserve to be told Mr. M. F. Perkins,, Counsellor to right and they did not even take roundly that they are ignorant, that the US. Logation in Peking and the trouble to examine the scientist's their discourse cannot be latened formerly Administrative Consul in argumenta before laughing him toto till they are better instructed. Shanghal, has (says the "Slawan- In fact, all these silly, childish Real-pad") been appointed by Mr. J. V, "Over science improperly applied.". Iste who come forward to dogmistise A. MacMurray, the Minister, as his Exactly! In other words the prin-about the soul, God, the origin of personal representative in Shanghal ciples so far established are these: the world, atomism and so forth, and Nanking: M. E, S. Cunning-
1. There are many roads to truth just as if the Criticism of Pure ham, the Carsal Goneral, states that ́
Reason had been written in the this is not improbable, but he has moon and no copy of Had yet heard nothing officially.
of which science is but one. 2. Each can give certainty if pro-
perly applied.
3. I have certainty by one method, I am within my right in rejecting without further reason the evidence brought forward by another.
4. In doing so, I am casting no slur on the method, but on its application in this particular
C430.
Falth
reached the earth; belong to the uneducated vulgar, Let them to the servants' hall and there make show of their wisdom." (Ueber den Willen in der Natur 2nd Edit).
Memorable Words Happily not all scientists are such. The great Pasteur wrote these memorable words:
↓
Dr. Henry T. Hodgkin, who was to leave China permanently on Feb. 6, was the leader at the weekly prayer meeting of the Shanghai Missionary Association on Feb. 4. 23 Yuen Ming Yuen Road. Dr. Hodgkin la travelling via Siberia "It is because I have thought and to America, where he is to have studied much that I have kept the charge of a new graduate school of We now come to faith. All social faith of a Breton; If I had thought, religious education. to be establish- But Sandy MacPherson speaks Englife is based on faith, i.e., reliance and studied more I would haveed in Philadelphia by the Society of lish. Therefore Sandy MacPherson on another's word for the truth of reached the faith of the Breton is an Englishman." (Just ask something which either I do not wish woman"*. Sandy!)
(Revue des Questions or am not able to discover for my- | Scientifiques Vol. 39, p. 385). self. The relations between parents. Fabre, Father of the Insects, ones and thildren, pupil and teacher, pa-an agnostie la the author of the tient and doctor, client and lawyer, following: After 37 years of cook and his master at all the m thought and observation I say not lives meet and mingle-prove that even say that I see Him." lion and one points where human merely that I believe in God-I can
ļ Fetters of freedom! Yes. Fet- ters are essential to freedom. The police force, the judiciary and the prison, when used according to the laws of justice, are the guarantee of the nation's freedom, because" they put fetters on the freedom of the individual in the interest of the common good. In that sense it is true to say that Sing Sing prison is as truly a symbol of freedom as
The argument and the
con- Is the Statue of Liberty, When clusion are false although the first freedom comes to mean liberty to two propositions in this case, as in do what I like, it scuses to be free-the first, are both perfectly true. dom and becomes tyranny or law complicated, you can see that error When the argument becomes more lessness or licence.
опсе
can more easily occur,
The Scientist's Road
Let us now consider the scient ist's road to truth, the method of inductive reasoning, as it is called It is a method by which, from a comparatively small number of cases which I examine, I conelude to all cases of the same kind.
Reuson, too, has fettors. I have the right to use my reason in a search for truth. Truth found, there is a fetter on my rea- son. I may not now deny the truth. If I speak falsely of another, I may have to pay the penalty for libel. If I bear false witness, I may pay the penalty for perjury. Clearly, reason has ita fetters also-it is Again it is perfectly legitimate fettered by truth.
method of acquiring truth, if pro- There can be no contradiction be-perty applied, but you will easily tween religious truth and scientific truth. One would imagine that this proposition should be self-evident to everyman. Truth is one. We may
the results, if they are truth, can- speak truth by different ways, but not be contradictory. A thing can not be at the same time true and false,
"The Conflict"
|
there is only one foundation for so- ciety and that is the persuasion that I can accept truth on the authority of another. Our law-courts live by faith; our books and newspapers thrive on it; conversation would be impossible without it; it is the be the past. ginning and the end of all study of
What does it all mean? It means that day in, day out, I am accepting truths as truths, not because I see their truth, not even because I un derstand them (which I often do not), but simply because I have them on a reliable authority (and note that the reliable authority in certain matters may be my cook or my coolie).
IN OTHER PLACES
CHRONICLES FROM JAPAN
The
TO JAVA
appointment of 'Major Hudson V. C. as Staff Officer to Local Forces (Straits Settlements)
for the Colonies.. has been approved by the Secretary
has been granted to Mr. Justice Three months leave of absence R. D. Acton. Mr. W. Burton has been appointed to act temporarily 454 Puisne Judge for fourteen days from Jan. 28, says the "Singapore Free Press."
וני
The Temple of the Moon, outside Fuchengmen, and the Erhtaotan, south of Tienchiao, outside Chien- men, Peking, will be converted Into public. cemeteries, says the "North China Standard." This is at the suggestion of the directors of public safety, public works, and sanitary, who have been entrusted by the municipal government to find spa- cious places as the graves.
Friends.
As
1
no offelal orders have yet been received by Kiangnan Arsenal to suspend work on the manu- facture of munitions, in accordance
with the decision of the Disarma- ment Conference, and transform it izto an
agricultural implement factory, the head office at Kaochang- miao and the branch at Langhua will continue to function as usual. Arrangements are, however, being made to dismiss a large number of workers, says the "N. C. Dally Newy,"
As already announced in the "Malay Mail," Kuala Lumpur is to have an automatic telephone'ex-
under: contemplation for two years, change. The scheme has beep
and now arrangements are being made to provide an area proximately 16 square miles with the automatic system. Although Kuala Lumpur will be the first dis- trict in Malaya to be so equipped, the system is by no means a novel
one,
of ap-
private automatic exchange in use In-
Already there is a small
the Federal Secretariat building, whilst at Home many of the larger cities and towns are so equipped.
A
realise that it is open to even greater dangers than those we have already considered because of the greater diffealty in being certain that it has
bearing, acorns been properly applied. I see an oak and I conclude that acorns always comes from Furthermore, as we have already oaks. I have quite rightly argued seen, we are constantly rejecting the from one particular instance to a results of our own reasoning in de- general conclusion. I see ten daka ference to Information got by faith It seems to me that most of the and in all cases they are growing Every man who consults an expert nonsense that is talked about the on the sides of hills. I conclude is prepared. to do so, if he can get conflict betten religion and science that oaks will grow on hillsides an opinion better than his own. Is comes from the fact that many only and I am wrong. Why does he a slave for doing so? Is he a people never think of feligion as one example give me certainty while third-rate intellect? Yet, in spite truth. The Hon. Bertrand Russellten examples have led me into, of all that nowspaper correspon-
A rather strange experience be- recently defined faith as being most error? Because the method has not dents have written to the contrary
fell a Singapore gentleman and a often "a determination to retain been rightly applied in the second that is the charge which Rational-
lady who were out sailing about some belief in the teeth of all ovi-case.
lam brings against religions belief.
three miles off the island on a. dence to the contrary." He quite In the natural sciences the gen- What is the foundation of au-
Home-going coolies are coming recent afternoon. There were no rightly said that the thing he thus oral principle which gives me a right thority or faith? It is this that south like a tide from Manchuria. boats of any kind in sight when defined." is not a virtue at all, but to draw a general conclusion from I will accept truth on the word of The "Manchuria Dally News" says they suddenly heard shouts and dis- quite the contrary." But the thing a few examples is that similar na- another if I am satisfied that he that during the past two winters, covered to their amazement he thus dofined is not faith at all tural causes under similar condi- has the knowledge which I seek, and chiefly owing to the civil war rag. Chime in the sea. Putting about but credulity-which is a verý | tions, produce similar effects. The that he is speaking the truth. Ifing in Shantung, etc., very few they threw him a line which he different thing. It is obvious that whole crux is in finding the cause I have such a man I reckon myself coolies cared to return to their managed to grasp and was pulled if this thing were faith, there would and the conditions.. What I thought fortunate. It is a short-cut to home folks for the old Chinese New aboard. They were just about to be a contradiction between faith to be a cause may not be the cause truth.
Year holidays, but this year, Shan- make for shore when another cry and science (and indeed between at all but only an accompanying cir- faith and reason).
Faith in the camstance. Thus at one time people
tung, etc., having been restored, to attracted their attention, a fainter perfect quiet, a steady stream of about this time, and they discovered proper sense of the word is a free thought that ment corrupting gener-
home-going selles is entraining at another Chinese who was much assent to some truth because I haveated life because whenever meat cor-
Changchun where each train is now nearer his last efforts to keep afloat thoroughly satisfied myself that the rupted life appeared upon it,
supplemented with second or third than the first. He too was got authority, du whose word I have re- Nor is it always easy to be sure
class cars expressly for the sake of aboard and the two men, although ceived it, had certain knowledge of that we know all the conditions with-
the home-goers. Such coolles arriv- they only spoke Teochow, made it the fact and spoke the truth. In which alone our conclusions will
ing at Dairen average from 1,500 understood that there was a third If you can shake my assurance on be valid. I see a stone and a fea-
to 2,000 a day. They will be seen man in the sea. A long search, elther of those two points, I will ther fall and I conclude that a fea-
tramping together to the wharves however, failed to find him and the consider your evidence. If you canther always falls more slowly than
from the Dairen Station in a med-rescued men were taken ashore to not, then all your other arguments a stone, which is false as a general
ley group, stopping at doss houses the Yacht Clab where they received are of no avail. My object in this conclusion because they will fall at
when forced to do so, to wait for attention and were sent off to hos lecture is to show that a man who equal speeds in a vacuum.
their steamer to set sail.
pital. acts thus is not only not "a third- rate Intellect, but that he is taking what we acknowledge in our daily life to be the safest, the surest, and in many, perhaps most affairs of life the only one that he can take.
Many Roads to Truth
1
Scientist's Experiments
Furthermore, the more difficult the matter and the less I know about it, the more ready am I to consult a man who knows. Two conditions and two only do I care about:
(a) Has he got the knowledge I am secking?
(b) Will he give It truthfully? If you grant me that a religion which can prove its claim to be the mouthpiece of the Living God, can justly claim sssent to those teach ings which it has on God's au- thority, you have granted- me
: all I ask 'for in this lec-
Schopenhauer's Views
To obviate these difficulties scien- ture. Whether there is any tists repeat their experiments under religion in the world to-day different conditions, but it must be that possesses these credentials is a clear to everyone that this method of further question and outside the attaining truth (whilst it is the ambit of this lecture. only one available in many cases) But first a fow preliminary prin-requires more time and is more Ha- ciples.
ble to error than the others which There are many roads to truth. we have considered. At any rate it Some truths are 83 self-evident that is, of all methods, the least prac- I cannot even deny them without tical for the affairs of daily life, supposing them to be true, eg.,The glory of science is that It bas "I exist," "My mind can know been able to do so much with so dif- truth," ""Whatever 13, is." There cult an instrument. But it is fool are not many much truths.
Ish to suppose, because a conclusion has been reached by science, that therefore it must be true, and it must be stated in all fairness that the great scientist is rarely guilty of such dogmatismo-and more rarely now than half a century ago. Science, like a man maturing into
I shall conclude by reading for you what that great German philo- sopher, Schopenhauer, had to say on the cheap sneers at philosophy and religion in his way:
"These gentlemen of the crucible and the retort must bring it home to themselves that more chemistry may erable & man to be an apothe- eary, but that does not make him 4, philosopher. Certain kindred spirits among the naturalists, too; should understand that a man may be a consummate zoologist, have the sixty sorts of apes strung together in perfect order, yet knowing
Other roads to truth are my senses, my memory, my reason. Each of these can give me, truth so certain that no man, can per suade me that I am wrong. You are certain that there is someone on this platform, and that he la speaking. Not all the scientists on middle age, la beginning to realise nothing besides, except a few scraps earth could persuade you to the con- that "nore of us is infallible--not | of his catechism, be, on the whole, trary. But are you so certain that even the youngest.”
an ignorant man, merely one of the
mon case in the present day. 'People clusion derived through one of these sot themselves up as teachers of methods, because another of them mankind. They have studied chem- shows that conclusion to be false. istry or physics or mineralogy or To take a few examples:
zoology..or physiology, but have studied nothing in the world be="
the man you saw at fifty yards dis- I now pass to another principle. vulgar. This, however, is a com-
tance on the road last night was We have frequently to reject a con- Tom Jones, as you thought, and not his brother Peter who is like him? Someone wrote to the papers the other day that a man cannot doubt the evidence of bis senses. I won- der is that always true?,
Arhin take memory. I have no doubt about the number of the house I am living in. Am I quite se cer- tain that I remember rightly the telephone number of my friend Jones? Am I certain that it is 1478
and not 14877
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I work out aproblem in arithmetic. aides. They put alongside this the
I am using reason, Then I look up
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the answer in the book and conclude the little of the catechism that that I am wrong. Faith in the book has triumphed over reason.
has stuck to them since their school days. If the two pieces will not ft
does not return my salute. I task themselves to scoff at religion, and I pass Jones in the street and he well together, they immediately Bet him with it and he tells me that he by and by sink down into insipid, was not in Hong Kong at all that shallow materialism. That there day. "Well I would have sworn that was once such a man es Plato or it was you. But I accept his word Aristotle, or Locke or Kant, they for it. Faith in Jones has triumph-have, perhaps, heard at school-but ed over the evidence of my senses. then these men did not hạn
A scientist digs up a skull, ex- crucible, nor did they ever stu amines it and proclaims it as ho are; it is not, therefore. longing to some pre-historic, man. becoming better The local peasants prove that it be them. So the result longed to a soldier who was buried intellectual labo MACHINE there only fifty years ago Faith in the window
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