Page:Philosophical Review Volume 21.djvu/408

390 there is unanimity of practice and ideals among those competent to judge and act.

It is customary nowadays to characterize whole periods of history by a single catchword; indeed, it is considered to be a new method of recording history. That this is an inadequate procedure in considering the entire culture of periods, needs no proof. However, catchwords may in many cases accurately indicate particular tendencies and have a real value when used in that way. Such a word characterizing the controlling tendency of the philosophy of to-day, is the expression 'life.' An idea of value or some concept to which a value is attached is the basis of any world philosophy. The biological philosophy though perhaps not caring for the term value is no exception to the rule. It considers life to be the highest good; and all culture and institutions are evaluated from its standpoint. From this point of view Nietzsche may well be considered one of the most interesting and influential of the biologists. Nietzsche's 'desire for power' corresponds to the 'desire for life,' and his 'superman' is the man with the greatest amount of 'life' in him. What differentiates Nietzsche from others is only his aristocratic tendency. From thought of this type results a biological economy in which an attack on the institution of marriage is an extreme instance. A peculiar outgrowth of this biological economy is the estimation of cultural development in terms of physical energy units 'at the service of life,' in the form of machinery, etc. Pragmatism is another case to be cited. Mind and its functioning are valuable in so far as they serve life. This biological view results in a monistic metaphysics which attempts to bridge the dualism of matter and spirit through the concept of life. Culture then becomes dependent on such a metaphysics, and its values are to be understood merely as a development and refinement of the universal life principle itself. Among these biological metaphysical theories are some of various degrees of idealism. Even a religious aspect may be detected in this biological world view. Social life, art and science are the finest product of a Pantheistic Nature. Is it possible to equate cultural values and life values? In order to decide this question the logical structure of the cultural philosophy based on a scientific biology must be critically examined; and its general premise that a science is able to determine norms and values, looked into. Confusion is made in biology as well as in physics; though in biology the terms 'organism' and 'development' already have teleological implication and value to start with. Thus it is seen that the biological foundation of cultural philosophy is not only due to a confusion of thought but it is apposed by all scientific biology. But this does not mean a degradation of biology as is sometimes supposed; but on the contrary an elevation to a position of independence. Another question presents itself: Has not life, if not the equivalent of the highest good, some other basic value in itself? It