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Alfred H. Lloyd. The Will to Doubt
The Will to Doubt
Table of Contents
THE WILL TO DOUBT
I
INTRODUCTION
II
THE CONFESSION OF DOUBT
III
DIFFICULTIES IN OUR ORDINARY VIEWS OF THINGS
IV
THE VIEW OF SCIENCE: ITS RISE AND CHARACTER
V
THE VIEW OF SCIENCE: ITS PECULIAR LIMITATIONS
VI
POSSIBLE VALUE IN THESE ESSENTIAL DEFECTS OF EXPERIENCE
VII
THE PERSONAL AND THE SOCIAL, THE VITAL AND THE FORMAL IN EXPERIENCE
VIII
AN EARLY MODERN DOUBTER
IX
THE DOUBTER'S WORLD
X
DOUBT AND BELIEF
INDEX
Отрывок из книги
Alfred H. Lloyd
An essay in philosophy for the general thinker
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If, then, dogmatic people are slaves to their fears, while more thoughtful people, as has not needed to be said, seem to get no reward from their self-consciousness but the uncertain reward of their doubts, then only such as live quietly, asserting nothing, depending on nothing, and even assuming nothing, but simply taking what comes, are left to represent genuine belief. Yet how many such are there? A few may seem to approach the ideal, if ideal it be, but the class itself in realization must be said to be a hypothetical one, and few, if any, of us could ever really envy or strive to imitate its supposed manner of living; for, in spite of all the dangers and all the doubts and fears, only the constantly examined life can ever really lure us. Doubt, besides being a general condition of life, seems to be also incident to what gives life worth.
But, furthermore, not only are we all universal doubters; the case for doubt in the world is, if possible, even stronger; for also—and this is the second general fact: Doubt is a phase, nay, a vital condition of all consciousness. To be a conscious creature is to be a doubting creature.
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