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 IDIOMS

635

IDIOTA

but denies the reality of the physical world. This sort of idealism is just the reverse of that which was held by the philosophers of antiquity and their Chris- tian successors ; it does away with the reality of ideal principles by confining them exclusively to the think- ing subject; it is a spurious idealism which deserves rather the name "phenomenalism" {phenomenon, "appearance", as opposed to noumenon, "the object of thought").

The doctrine of Descartes has also -per ncfas been called idealism. It is true that Cartesianism is in line with the genuine idealism of the earlier schools, inasmuch as it postulates God, thought, and spatial reality. But, on the other hand, this system too employs idea only in a subjective sig- nification and quite overlooks the intermediate position of ideal principles. According to the theory of Leibniz, which has also been regarded as idealistic, our mind constructs from its own resources {de son pro pre fond) its scheme of the world; but, thanks to a pre-established harmony {harmonic prniablie), it accords with reality. This view, however, furnishes no solution for the epistemological problem. Kant claims that his critical philosophy is both a "trans- cendental idealism" and an "empirical realism"; but he declares that ideas are " illusions of reason", and that such ideal principles as cause and purpose are simply devices of thought which can be employed only in reference to phenomena. Fichte took Kant as his starting-point, but finally rose above the level of subjectivism and posited a principle of reality, the absolute Ego. Hegel's doctrine can be termed ideal- ism so far as it seeks the highest principle in the absolute idea, which finds its self-realization in form, concept, etc. — a view which amounts virtually to monism. The various offshoots of the Kantian phi- losophy are incorrectly regarded as developments of idealism; it is more accurate to describe them as " illusionism" or " sohpsism", since they entirely sweep away objective reality In this connexion a German philosopher declares: " I affirm without hesi- tation that the assertion, ' the existence of the world consists merely in our thinking', is for me the result of a hypertrophy of the passion for knowledge. To this conclusion I have been led chiefly by the torture I endured in getting over ' idealism'. Whosoever at- tempts to take this theory in downright earnest, to force his way clean through it anfl identify himself with it, will certainly feel that something is about to snap in his brain" (Jerusalem, " Die tJrtheilsfunk- tion", Vienna, 1895, p. 261). Similar conclusions are reached by J. Volkelt (Erfahrung u. Denken, Ham- burg, 1SS6, p. 519) : " Any man who carries his theoret- ical doubts or denial of the external world so far that even in his everyday experience he is forever remind- ing himself of the purely subjective character of his perceptions . . . will simply find himself flung out of the natural course and direction of life, stripped of all normal feeling and interest, and sooner or later con- fronted with the danger of losing his mind completely."

It is certainly a matter of regret that the terms idea, idealist, and idealism, originally so rich in content, should be so far degraded as to signify such aberra- tions of thought. The present writer, in his " Ge- schichte des Idealismus" (2nd ed., Brunswick, 1907), has taken the ground that the original meaning of these terms should be restored to them. In the index of this "Geschichte" and in his monograph, " Die wichtigsten philosophischen Fachausdrucke" (Munich, 1909), he traces in detail the changes in meaning which these words have undergone.

Brownson, Idealism and Berkeley in Brovfnaon^s Review, I, 29; Bradlet. Appearance and Reatit'/ (2nd ed., London, 1897); of. MiVART in Am. Caih. Quart., X!XII, 531; Glossner, Der nwdeme Idealismus (Ratisbon, 1880): Lton, Uidealisme en Angleterre au XVIIh siecle (Paris, 1888): Schmid, Erkennlnis- lehre (Freiburg, 1890): Gardair, L'objectiuite et la sensation in Ann. de Phil. Chrelienne, XXXII. 1895; de Craene, La croy- ance au monde ejcterieitr in Rev. Neo-scol., V (1898); Mercieb,

Le phenomrnisme et Vancienne mitaphusique, ibid., VIII (1901); Cakson, The Reality of the External World in Dub. Rev., CXXV (1899).

Otto Willmann.

Idioms, COMMDNICATION OF. See COMMUNICATIO

Idiomatum.

Idiota (Raymundus Jordanus) : the nom de plume of an ancient, learned, and pious writer whose identity remained unknown tor some centviries. The name need not be understood in the ordinary sense as now used. According to the original Greek, Idiota means private, simple, or peculiar, and it is probable that the writer in question employed it in this sense to signify that he was a person of no consequence. The works of this author soon became widely known although he himself remained unknown. They have all been printed several times in the "Bibliotheca Patrum", and his "Contemplationes de amore di- vino " are often found in small manuals bound up with the meditations of St. Augustine, St. Bernard, and St. Anselm. In the "Magna Bibliotheca Veterum Patrum " published in 161S, his works are given among the writers of the tenth century and, according to Cardinal Bellarmine, Idiota flourished about the year 902.

Father Theophilus Raynaud, S. J., was the first to discover that Raymundus Jordanus was the author of the works found in the library of the Fathers under the name Idiota. In his preface to one of the works of Idiota, the "Oculus Mysticus", which he published in 1641, he accounts for this discovery by the testimony of contemporary writers, and by the fact that some of the original MSS. had been signed by Raymundus. Biographical writers have, in general, accepted Ray- naud's theory since the year 1054, when, under his editorship, a complete edition of the works of Idiota was published in Paris under the name of Raymundus Jordanus. It is known for certain that this Ray- mundus was a Frenchman, a Canon Regular of St. .\ugustine, prior of the house of his order at Uzes, in France, and afterwards Abbot of Selles-sur-Cher, France where he lived and died. Selles, it appears, was not then a Cistercian monastery. Raymundus WTote about the year 1381. In an account of a trans- action between the Canons Regular and the Bishop of Uzes which occurred in the year 1.377, Raymundus is styled licentiate, and it is stated that he was elected by the chapter of his order to present and conduct its cause before an ecclesiastical tribunal presided over by Cardinal Sabinensi, which he did with ability and success. Whether Raynaud is right in his theory that Raymundus Jordanus is Idiota, or whether Idiota is to remain unknown like the Auctor operis imperfecti, so often quoted by spiritual writers, may still be regarded by many as an open question.

There is however no question as to the works themselves. They were all written in Latin and none of them has been translated into any other language. In the edition of his works published in Paris in the year 1654 we have the following collection: — six books of "Meditations"; a "Treatise on the Blessed Vir- gin"; a "Treatise on the Religious Lite"; and the "Spiritual or Mystical Eye ". He wrote also a "Com- mentary on Psalm xv ". His book of "Meditations " contains the following chapters: (1) De amore di- vino; (2) De Virgine Maria; (3) De vera patientia; (4) De continuo conflictu carnis et animse; (5) De innocentia perdita; (6) De morte. These medita- tions were published in Paris in 1519, and the volume is said to have been the work of a pious and holy man who gave no other name than Idiota. All his works are written in a simple, clear, and pure style; and they are replete with Christian wisdom. They well deserve to be classed with the works of the early Fathers of the Church, and to be made known in the vernacular for the benefit and edification of pious readers.