Studien zu Methodenlehre und Erkenntnisskritik Erkenntnistheoretische Grundzüge der Naturwissenschaften und ihre Beziehungen zuw Geistesleben der Gegenwart Allgemein wissenschaftliche Vorträge

Abstract

IF we were to examine these two works purely from the standpoint of the critical reviewer, we should probably content ourselves by recommending the busy man of science to pass them by. We might, indeed, justify the sternness of our judgment by illustrating the hopelessly involved style of Herr Dreyer—his page-long-footnotes on footnotes, his misinterpretations of mathematical and physical theories, and his obvious, but nowhere justified, bias against Darwinism. We might then pass to Dr. Volkmann and show the vagueness of his definitions, the unphilosophical character of his epistemology, and indicate the danger which arises when loose analogies drawn from natural science are applied to other fields of thought. We might not unreasonably conclude with a sigh over the departing glory of German science. We might moan over the death or old age of the giants of a quarter of a century back, and regret that the strong and clear intellects of young Germany seem drawn rather to military and commercial pursuits than to the service of science. That Germany has become the first military, and is rapidly becoming the first commercial nation, are now familiar ideas; but that these victories have been won at the expense of literature and pure science, is an aspect of evolution which other nations are only just beginning to realise, and Germany herself will only realise last of all. It is a subtle qualitative, not a quantitative change which has been going on since 1870 in German science and literature. Few realise it, but it is none the less a reality. It is, perhaps, as well that leadership in all spheres should not fall to one people. From the historical stand-point accordingly, these two books are of interest, for they are very typical of much work which Germany has of recent years put forth. Their authors fully recognise that there are great problems still unsolved in the philosophical basis of the natural sciences, but it cannot be said that they throw any light on the solution of these problems, nay, that they even assist us in their clear enunciation. Herr Dreyer indeed tells us with much truth that:

Studien zu Methodenlehre und Erkenntnisskritik.

Von Friedrich Dreyer. Pp. viii + 223. (Leipzig: Engelmann, 1895.)

Erkenntnistheoretische Grundzüge der Naturwissenschaften und ihre Beziehungen zum Geistesleben der Gegenwart. Allgemein wissenschaftliche Porträge.

Von Dr. P. Volkmann. Pp. xii + 181. (Leipzig: Teubner, 1896.)