The Revival of Scholasticism

Abstract

I. IT is difficult to see just what is the meaning attached to ‘direct contact’ in the statement that “we have no means of getting into direct contact with them [physical objects]” (“The Decline of Determinism”, NATURE, Feb. 13, p. 235). For, the fact that the sense-organs merely reflect objects is not a modern discovery: it was the basis of Francis Bacon's inductive philosophy. “Our method is continually to dwell among things soberly; without abstracting or setting the understanding farther from them than makes their images meet.” “For however men may amuse themselves, and admire or almost adore the mind; it is certain that, like an irregular glass, it alters the rays of things” “The capital precept for the whole conduct is this, that the eye of the mind be never taken off from things themselves; but receive their images truly as they are.” “The mind is like a glass, capable of the image of the universe as the eye to receive the light.” (Preliminaries, “De Augmentis Scientiarum”.)