Page:The Realm of Ends or Pluralism and Theism (1911).djvu/21



Mr Bradley concludes his metaphysical essay entitled Appearance and Reality with the admission that science is a poor thing if measured by the wealth of the real universe: he finds that “in the end Reality is inscrutable,” and is confirmed in “the irresistible impression that all is beyond us.” Everyone must acknowledge this to be a more honest conclusion than the pretended demonstrations of many philosophers. Nobody now-a-days — save here and there a man of science off his beat, like Haeckel for example — has the hardihood to rush into print with a final explanation of the Universe. Still without perpetrating this folly can we not attempt to advance, to get more insight than at present we have? Surely this is possible, for though ignorance be inevitable, no specific errors are necessary.

But we must have some method: in particular we must be clear where we start from. It is a favourite phrase now widely current that the universe has many aspects, and such a conception has the merit of making