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La loi du progres en biologie et en sociologie et la question de l'organisme social by Ferriere,AdolpheReview by: L. GuinetIsis, Vol. 6, No. 4 (1924), pp. 574-576Published by: The University of Chicago Press on behalf of The History of Science SocietyStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/223548 .
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ISIS. VI. 1924 ISIS. VI. 1924
and the term 'covariance' by 'physical relativity', and then carelessly drop the adjectives, and there results, not one concept but one word: Relativity.
How does the Theory of Relativity, meaning the Theory of mathe-
matico-physical Covariance, bear on contemporary theories of know- ledge ? In particular, how does the theory, especially in its views on space and time, bear on the neo-Kantian epistemology, as developed by IIERMANN COHEN, PAUL, NATORP, and ERNST CASSIRER ? This is the
question to whicli the detailed and searching discussions in the present volume are intended to furnish an answer.
In the first part of the book ELSBACH expounds the 'critical' theory of knowledge, basing his discussion essentially on CASSIRER's
Substanzbeggriff rind Fuznktionsbegriff (Isis vi, 439). He devotes his chapters to such problems as the object of knowledge, the concept of truth, the formation of concepts, the structure of theoretical physics, and the task of theoretical philosophy. In the second part, the author examines the relation of the Theory of Relativity to this critical theory of knowledge. For this purpose he presents, first, an analysis of the views of COHEN and of NATORP on space and time; secondly, a thorough exposition of the philosophy of CASSIRER. As might be expected, he considers such problems as absolute space, absolute time, the relation between space and time, matter, and non-euclidean geometry. The book closes with three pages of bibliography.
What, then, is the relation between KANT and EINSTEIN ? According to the author, there is necessarily a complete agreement between the philosophy of the neo-Kantian school and the latest teaching of
mathematico-physical science. Those who are tempted to think otherwise are misled by the fact that the champions of the two theories speak not only difficult but fundamentally different languages. It is emphasis upon this notion of structural unity underlying analy- tico-linguistic diversity that seems to the reviewer to constitute one of the great advances in contemporary philosophy of science, and one of the merits of the present book.
(Cambridge, Mass.) HENRY M. SHEFFER.
Ferri~re, Adolphe. - La loi du progres en biologie et en sociologie et la question de l'organisnie social. Etude precedee d'une introduc- tion philosophique sur la methode en sociologie. xu-j-680 p., in-8?. GIARD ET BRIERE, Paris, 1915. [30 Fr.]
Bien que cet ouvrage du directeur du Bureau international des Ecoles Nouvelles (Geneve) soit deja quelque peu ancien, je crois inte-
and the term 'covariance' by 'physical relativity', and then carelessly drop the adjectives, and there results, not one concept but one word: Relativity.
How does the Theory of Relativity, meaning the Theory of mathe-
matico-physical Covariance, bear on contemporary theories of know- ledge ? In particular, how does the theory, especially in its views on space and time, bear on the neo-Kantian epistemology, as developed by IIERMANN COHEN, PAUL, NATORP, and ERNST CASSIRER ? This is the
question to whicli the detailed and searching discussions in the present volume are intended to furnish an answer.
In the first part of the book ELSBACH expounds the 'critical' theory of knowledge, basing his discussion essentially on CASSIRER's
Substanzbeggriff rind Fuznktionsbegriff (Isis vi, 439). He devotes his chapters to such problems as the object of knowledge, the concept of truth, the formation of concepts, the structure of theoretical physics, and the task of theoretical philosophy. In the second part, the author examines the relation of the Theory of Relativity to this critical theory of knowledge. For this purpose he presents, first, an analysis of the views of COHEN and of NATORP on space and time; secondly, a thorough exposition of the philosophy of CASSIRER. As might be expected, he considers such problems as absolute space, absolute time, the relation between space and time, matter, and non-euclidean geometry. The book closes with three pages of bibliography.
What, then, is the relation between KANT and EINSTEIN ? According to the author, there is necessarily a complete agreement between the philosophy of the neo-Kantian school and the latest teaching of
mathematico-physical science. Those who are tempted to think otherwise are misled by the fact that the champions of the two theories speak not only difficult but fundamentally different languages. It is emphasis upon this notion of structural unity underlying analy- tico-linguistic diversity that seems to the reviewer to constitute one of the great advances in contemporary philosophy of science, and one of the merits of the present book.
(Cambridge, Mass.) HENRY M. SHEFFER.
Ferri~re, Adolphe. - La loi du progres en biologie et en sociologie et la question de l'organisnie social. Etude precedee d'une introduc- tion philosophique sur la methode en sociologie. xu-j-680 p., in-8?. GIARD ET BRIERE, Paris, 1915. [30 Fr.]
Bien que cet ouvrage du directeur du Bureau international des Ecoles Nouvelles (Geneve) soit deja quelque peu ancien, je crois inte-
574 574
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ressant de le signaler ici parce qu'il me seinble que FERRIERE y pose les bases methodiques de la biologie sociale.
Le volume s'ouvre par ine longue etude (80 p.) des principes de la methode en sociologie : pour l'auteur, la sociologie rentre dans le domaine des sciences de l'esprit; mais elle se place sur le terrain de la science pratique; elle ne dedaigne certes pas les ressources de la methode experimentale, mais la methode de la science pragmatique seule peut lui permettrc de constituoer une science independante.
FERRIERE pose ensuite la question de l'assimilation de la societe a un
organisme, et c'est l'occasion d'un expose historique dans lequel il examine les theses de COMTE, SPENCER, LILIENFELD, ESPINAS, DE GREEF, WORMS, FoUII,LEE, WAXWEILER ; sa conclusion est que tout parallelisme
statique entre les organes des etres vivants et ceux des societes est un
symbolisme vide de sens; seules sont reelles des analogies d'ordre
dynamique qui proviennent de l'origine commune des phenomenes sociaux et des phenomenes organiques en tant que phenomenes de vie.
Ceci etant, il se livre a l'etude de l'individu d'une part (pp. 195-328), de la societe d'autre part (pp. 329-6.46) au triple point de vue de l'tre :
d dans la societe, comme dans les organismes, l'unite est caracterisee
par la convergence interne des activites, les elements distincts colla- borant en vue de maintenir l'integrite du tout dont ils font partie ,; du devenir: ' dans les societes comme dans les organismes, le devenir est caracterise par la tendance des unites a faire converger leurs acti- vites internes vers la conservation et l'accroissement de leurs energies, fin supreme de l'elan vital qui les animeo, et du progres : ((les societes comme les organismes se conforment d'une part / l'adaptation de soi au monde et du monde a soi, d'autre part a la tendance qui les pousse a conserver et a accroitre leur puissance vitale )), le progres vital etant
envisage d'abord en general, puis comme progres politique, comme
progres juridique et conmme progres economique.
La place m'est trop mesuree pour que je puisse entrer dans le detail de l'ouvrage, qui embrasse en somme presque tout l'ensemble des sciences biologiques, psychologiques et sociales, l'etude de ces der- nieres etant de beaucoup Ia plus developpee Je note cependant qu'a propos du devenir social, il examine les trois etapes du progres dans les societes : regime de l'autorite acceptee, de l'anarchie relative, de la liberte reflechie; que l'esprit des masses et le role des elites sont l'occasion de tres fortes etudes psychologiques sur l'homme mediocre et les partis politiques, sur le meneur, sur l'homme d'elite, etc.
Partout, FERRIERE voit s'exalter ((le role actif de l'humanite dans 1'effort: effort intellectuel tendant a la clairvoyance, i la raison et a la
justice, effort de la volonte tendant au triomphe de l'esprit sur la
575 REVIEWS
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iSIS. vi. 1924 iSIS. vi. 1924
imatiere )) (p. 656). Or il n'y a pas d'effort efficace sans connaissances
psychologiques, et pas d'accroissement de puissance de l'esprit sans effort dirige selon les lumieres d'une raison superieure, sans morale. Ainsi done, l'interet bieni entendu se confond, au terme, avec la morale la plus haute et condamne la politique realiste, 1' c egoisme sacre ) des nations.
Tout au long du livre, je retrouve, associes ia une grande rigueur scientifique, le meme idealisme, le meme ton de foi et de bonne foi.
L. GUINET.
Clara Endicott Sears. - Days of delusionz. A strange bit of history. xxvIIi+264 p., many illustrations. Boston, lOUGHITON MIFFLIN, 1924.
Some years ago, I had planned the writing of a series of studies on the history of human folly and I had already aecumulated consider- able material relative to the first one to be entitled The End of the l,orld. I thought it would be interesting to make a comparative survey of millenarian and similar fancies, such as have occurred
periodically throughout the course of recorded history, acnd not simply among Jews and Christians but among people of every faith. I soon discovered that the subject was considerably vaster than I had at first realized, but I did not loose courage and I would probably have accomplished my purpose had it not been suddenly thwarted by the loss of all my notes while travelling in Europe. The prophecies of WILLIAM MIrILLER, a Massachusetts farmer, were of course a part of
my investigations and I had found in the Harvard Library not a few documents dealing with them. Yet what I knew about them did not amount to very much. The appearance of Miss SEARS' book, which is entirely devoted to the study of the Millerite delusion, thus gave me considerable pleasure. At the same time, it made me realize once more that the loss of my notes was of no particular importance.
Miss SEARS has had the excellent idea of appealing to witnesses of the great religious excitement of 1843, or to their children, in order to collect and edit their reminiscences. She did it at the right time- early enough to preserve genuine recollections, late enough to avoid the reawakening of rancour and prejudice. For the benefit of our
European readers, it may be well to recall briefly that WILLIAM MtLLER (born in 1782 in Pittsfield, Western Massachusetts) prophesied that CHRIST would reappear a second time about the vernal equinox of 1843, when the day of judgment and retribution would occur. -He was a farmer who, after a few years of intellectual dissipation, took
part in the wtr with England in 1813-14, returned home converted,
imatiere )) (p. 656). Or il n'y a pas d'effort efficace sans connaissances
psychologiques, et pas d'accroissement de puissance de l'esprit sans effort dirige selon les lumieres d'une raison superieure, sans morale. Ainsi done, l'interet bieni entendu se confond, au terme, avec la morale la plus haute et condamne la politique realiste, 1' c egoisme sacre ) des nations.
Tout au long du livre, je retrouve, associes ia une grande rigueur scientifique, le meme idealisme, le meme ton de foi et de bonne foi.
L. GUINET.
Clara Endicott Sears. - Days of delusionz. A strange bit of history. xxvIIi+264 p., many illustrations. Boston, lOUGHITON MIFFLIN, 1924.
Some years ago, I had planned the writing of a series of studies on the history of human folly and I had already aecumulated consider- able material relative to the first one to be entitled The End of the l,orld. I thought it would be interesting to make a comparative survey of millenarian and similar fancies, such as have occurred
periodically throughout the course of recorded history, acnd not simply among Jews and Christians but among people of every faith. I soon discovered that the subject was considerably vaster than I had at first realized, but I did not loose courage and I would probably have accomplished my purpose had it not been suddenly thwarted by the loss of all my notes while travelling in Europe. The prophecies of WILLIAM MIrILLER, a Massachusetts farmer, were of course a part of
my investigations and I had found in the Harvard Library not a few documents dealing with them. Yet what I knew about them did not amount to very much. The appearance of Miss SEARS' book, which is entirely devoted to the study of the Millerite delusion, thus gave me considerable pleasure. At the same time, it made me realize once more that the loss of my notes was of no particular importance.
Miss SEARS has had the excellent idea of appealing to witnesses of the great religious excitement of 1843, or to their children, in order to collect and edit their reminiscences. She did it at the right time- early enough to preserve genuine recollections, late enough to avoid the reawakening of rancour and prejudice. For the benefit of our
European readers, it may be well to recall briefly that WILLIAM MtLLER (born in 1782 in Pittsfield, Western Massachusetts) prophesied that CHRIST would reappear a second time about the vernal equinox of 1843, when the day of judgment and retribution would occur. -He was a farmer who, after a few years of intellectual dissipation, took
part in the wtr with England in 1813-14, returned home converted,
576 576
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