Practical Essays. Alexander Bain

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СКАЧАТЬ that, in the world, everything is mysterious.

      Proper meaning of Mystery.

      Locke and Newton on the true nature of Explanation

      The Understanding cannot transcend its own experience.—Time and Space, their Infinity.

      We can assimilate facts, and generalise the many into one. This alone constitutes Explanation.

      Example from Gravity: not now mysterious.

      Body and Mind. In what ways the mysteriousness of their union might be done away with.

       III. THE CIVIL SERVICE EXAMINATIONS.

       I. HISTORICAL SKETCH.

      First official recommendation of Competitive Examinations.

      Successive steps towards their adoption.

      First absolutely open Competition—in the India Service.

      Macaulay's Report on the subjects for examination and their values.

      Table of Subjects. Innovations of Lord Salisbury.

      An amended Table.

       II. THE SCIENCE CONSIDERED.

      Doubts expressed as to the expediency of the competitive system.

      Criticism of the present prescription for the higher Services.

      The Commissioners' Scheme of Mathematics and Natural Science objectionable.

      Classification of the Sciences into Abstract or fundamental, and Concrete or derivative.

      Those of the first class have a fixed order, the order of dependence.

      The other class is represented by the Natural History Sciences, which bring into play the Logic of Classification.

      Each of these is allied to one or other members of the primary Sciences.

      The Commissioners' Table misstates the relationships of the various Sciences.

      The London University Scheme a better model.

      The choice allowed by the Commissioners not founded on a proper principle.

      The higher Mathematics encouraged to excess.

      Amended scheme of comparative values.

      Position of Languages in the examinations.

      The place in education of Language generally.

      Purposes of Language acquisition.

      Altered position of the Classical, languages.

      Alleged benefits of these languages, after ceasing to be valuable in their original use.

      The teaching of the languages does not correspond to these secondary values.

      Languages are not a proper subject for competition with a view to appointments.

      For foreign service, there should be a pass examination in the languages needful.

      The training powers attributed to languages should be tested in its own character.

      Instead of the Languages of Greece, Rome, &c., substitute the History and Literature.

      Allocation of marks under this view.

      Objections answered.

      Certain subjects should be obligatory.

       IV. THE CLASSICAL CONTROVERSY. ITS PRESENT ASPECT.

      Attack on Classics by Combe, fifty years ago.

      Alternative proposals at the present day:—

       1. The existing system Attempts at extending the Science course under this system.

       2. Remitting Greek in favour of a modern language. A defective arrangement.

       3. Remitting both Latin and Greek in favour of French and German.

       4. Complete bifurcation of the Classical and the Modern sides.

      The Universities must be prepared to admit a thorough modern alternative course.

      Latin should not be compulsory in the modern side.

      Defences of Classics.

      The argument from the Greeks knowing only their own language—never answered.

      Admission that the teaching of classics needs improvement.

      Alleged results of contact with the great authors of Greece and Rome—unsupported by facts.

      Amount of benefit attainable without knowledge of originals.

      The element of training may be obtained from modern languages.

      The classics said to keep the mind free from party bias.

      Canon Liddon's argument in favour of Greek as a study.

       V. METAPHYSICS AND DEBATING SOCIETIES.

      Metaphysics here taken as comprising Psychology, Logic, and their dependent sciences.

      Importance of the two fundamental departments.

      The great problems, such as Free-will and External Perception should be run up into systematic Psychology.

      Logic also requires to be followed out systematically.

      Slender connection of Logic and Psychology.

      Derivative Sciences:—Education.

      Aesthetics—a corner of the larger field of Human Happiness

      The treatment of Happiness should be dissevered from Ethics

      Adam Smith's loose rendering of the conditions of happiness

      Sociology—treated, partly in its own field, and partly as a derivative of Psychology.

      Through it lies the way to Ethics.

      The sociological and the ethical ends compared.

      Factitious applications of Metaphysical study.

      Bearings СКАЧАТЬ