Education and the Philosophical Ideal by Horatio W. Dresser - Read the Complete Text for free at NewThoughtLibrary.com

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Horatio W. Dresser's

Education and the Philosophical Ideal

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Preface - Introduction - The New Point of View - Educational Ideals - Equanimity - The Subconscious Mind - The Spiritual Ideal in Childhood - An Experiment in Education - The Expression of the Spirit - An Ideal Summer Conference - The Ministry of the Spirit - The Mystery of Pain and Evil - The Philosophical Ideal - The Criteria of Truth - Organic Perfection - Immortality - Index - p. 247

Ordinarily, however, one seldom meets those who so faithfully combine two of our accepted criteria— consistency and practicality. The majority with whom one discusses these matters seem to allege as excuse "We will not count this time: this is the exception that proves the rule." The same inconsistency is found among nations. In times of peace, disarmament and other fine ideals are discussed, but in war time martial law permits what would on other occasions be deemed a crime. Christianity inculcates non-resistance, but this rule is only occasionally applied.

Let us, however, examine for a moment the credentials of consistency. One might generalise thus: Every statement must be immediately qualified by its exceptions. But if this generalisation be true, this statement has no exceptions. Once more, therefore, it is the exception which proves the rule.

Of what value, then, is a rule if it have exceptions? It is of value in so far as we know the exceptions. The rule applies to one set of conditions only. The exceptions hold only under changed conditions.

To illustrate, take the rule, "Resist not evil." It is argued that the principle is valueless unless it be absolute. But consider how much depends on the definition of evil, and the theory concerning its origin and meaning. Evidently, the rule is to apply only under certain conditions, and we must first understand the conditions before we can apply the rule

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