Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 10.djvu/389

 METAPHYSICAL ELEMENTS IN SOCIOLOGY 377

Mr. Ward argues for a wide perspective on the part of the sociologist, since the case is analogous to that of a mountain viewed from a distance, which is an exquisite piece of symmetry, but when we are climbing it we see nothing but underbrush and fallen logs. What the sociologist wants to and must do is to view societary phenomena as a unity, so as to see the great uni- formities and progressions in it. These he cannot see unless he has a wide perspective. Now, it seems to me that philosophy does just this. To inquire into the particular processes and phenomena is the province of the special physical sciences, just in the same way as the investigation of particular societary phenomena is the province of the special social sciences. Just so, as philosophy goes beyond the special sciences and looks into the general move- ments of things i. e., the unity and general teleological flow of things so does sociology go beyond the particular social facts and views the association of individuals in its great relationships and trends of development. Now, it might be said : " Well enough, but you have not gotten beyond Spencer's notion of the unification of the sciences, and so where is your appreciative method?" And so we shall have to examine the nature of the concept of unity which sociology so confidently uses.

Unity is a principle which is felt rather than described. We can cognize identity, but unity must be conceived of after the analogy of the subject; though you might cognitively have a sort of collocation which might pass for unity. When you have unity you have the notion of an organism, and that is what Mr. Ward is advocating. Unity is not altogether appreciative, but largely so, and its essential nature is appreciative. When he says that this unity is gotten by generalization, he does not mean exactly what is ordinarily meant by the term.

As intelligence develops, the ability to generalize increases, and the stage is at length reached at which the mind sees much that the senses cannot appre- hend. With the progress of science, this power is enormously enhanced and the true interpretation of nature begins."

Now, this true interpretation of nature must be philosophy.

The ordinary events of life go unnoticed, but there are certain events that are popularly regarded as extraordinary, notwithstanding the fact that

"WARD, Pure Sociology, p. 52.