Front matter

PHILOSOPHY AND THE SOCIAL PROBLEM

THE MACMILLAN COMPANY NEW YORK · BOSTON · CHICAGO · DALLAS ATLANTA · SAN FRANCISCO MACMILLAN & CO., Limited LONDON · BOMBAY · CALCUTTA MELBOURNE THE MACMILLAN CO. OF CANADA, Ltd. TORONTO

PHILOSOPHY AND THE SOCIAL PROBLEM

BY WILL DURANT, Ph.D. INSTRUCTOR IN PHILOSOPHY, EXTENSION TEACHING COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY

NEW YORK THE MACMILLAN COMPANY 1917 All rights reserved

Copyright, 1917, By THE MACMILLAN COMPANY. —— Set up and electrotyped. Published September, 1917. Norwood Press J. S. Cushing Co.—Berwick & Smith Co. Norwood, Mass., U.S.A.

TO ALDEN FREEMAN

CONTENTS

PAGE

Introduction1

PART I

HISTORICAL APPROACH

CHAPTER I

THE PRESENT SIGNIFICANCE OF THE SOCRATIC ETHIC

I. History as rebarbarization5

II. Philosophy as disintegrator6

III. Individualism in Athens7

IV. The Sophists9

V. Intelligence as virtue12

VI. The meaning of virtue15

VII. “Instinct” and “reason”23

VIII. The secularization of morals27

IX. “Happiness” and “virtue”31

X. The Socratic challenge33

CHAPTER II

PLATO: PHILOSOPHY AS POLITICS

I. The man and the artist36

II. How to solve the social problem40

III. On making philosopher-kings44

IV. Dishonest democracy52

V. Culture and slavery55

VI. Plasticity and order60

VII. The meaning of justice62

VIII. The future of Plato64

CHAPTER III

FRANCIS BACON AND THE SOCIAL POSSIBILITIES OF SCIENCE

I. From Plato to Bacon67

II. Character69

III. The expurgation of the intellect70

IV. Knowledge is power74

V. The socialization of science76

VI. Science and Utopia79

VII. Scholasticism in science81

VIII. The Asiatics of Europe85

CHAPTER IV

SPINOZA ON THE SOCIAL PROBLEM

I. Hobbes90

II. The spirit of Spinoza91

III. Political ethics93

IV. Is man a political animal?95

V. What the social problem is98

VI. Free speech101

VII. Virtue as power105

VIII. Freedom and order108

IX. Democracy and intelligence112

X. The legacy of Spinoza115

CHAPTER V

NIETZSCHE

I. From Spinoza to Nietzsche117

II. Biographical120

III. Exposition126

1. Morality as impotence 126

2. Democracy128

3. Feminism131

4. Socialism and anarchism133

5. Degeneration138

6. Nihilism141

7. The will to power143

8. The superman150

9. How to make supermen155

10. On the necessity of exploitation159

11. Aristocracy162

12. Signs of ascent165

IV. Criticism172

V. Nietzsche replies177

VI. Conclusion178

PART II

SUGGESTIONS

CHAPTER I

SOLUTIONS AND DISSOLUTIONS

I. The problem185

II. “Solutions”190

1. Feminism 190

2. Socialism194

3. Eugenics198

4. Anarchism200

5. Individualism202

6. Individualism again202

CHAPTER II

THE RECONSTRUCTIVE FUNCTION OF PHILOSOPHY

I. Epistemologs214

II. Philosophy as control218

III. Philosophy as mediator between science and statesmanship222

CHAPTER III

ORGANIZED INTELLIGENCE

I. The need227

II. The organization of intelligence230

III. Information as panacea234

IV. Sex, art, and play in social reconstruction240

V. Education246

CHAPTER IV

THE READER SPEAKS

I. The democratization of aristocracy251

II. The professor as Buridan’s ass255

III. Is information wanted?257

IV. Finding Mæcenas261

V. The chance of philosophy264

Conclusion268