Well, What Is It?

Well then, if these two theories are wrong, what is philosophy? There is metaphysics, which is concerned with searching for a system of general terms in which the universe can be described. There is epistemology, which is concerned with the nature of the knowledge and of the knowing process by which that knowledge is gained of the universe so described. There is Value Theory, which seeks to state what the use is not only of philosophy but also of life. In doing this it has to decide just what makes a thing useful, and thus, we find æsthetics discussing why we call a thing, for example, "beautiful" and what is the function of that thing as so called. Other branches of value theory, which discuss their fields in this way, are moral, and political theory. Finally, there is logic, which deals with a technique used by all who think, and there are none, though you of course may doubt it who don't. As part of philosophy it is concerned with the conditions of valid thinking.

These fields are obviously interrelated, but the precise manner in which their interrelation is described will depend to a great extent on the beliefs held by the describer about the topics they include. This much at least can be said without much fear of a Quarrel: metaphysics is concerned with a known universe, and hence requires a theory of knowledge, that is, requires epistemology. Similarly, metaphysics is concerned with a valued universe, and hence requires a theory of value. One test of the worth of a philosophical system is whether it is self-consistent, and hence a theory of consistency is required, that is, logic, is required. Finally, and this is most important, philosophy is related to life, and the other test of the worth of a philosophical system is — to put it frankly and crudely—whether a human being can believe in it or not.

Mr. Hudson mentioned other matters—whether the notorious disagreement among philosophers is a good thing or a bad thing; whether, as some philosophers hold, philosophy ought to be doing something quite different from what it is outlined above as doing; and various other of the matters arising out of a more detailed statement of the fields and interrelations than I have had space to report here. To mention any of these matters would immediately set controversy loose and this report has not that object. The remaining space is instead given to a note on those activities of the club which were fixed at the meeting.