Word: minding
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Dates: during 1870-1879
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...well-tempered," and while possibly "kindling the enthusiasm" that leads to "gratitude to past and affection for future generations," neglects the plainer and less romantic duty of justice to the present, - which is precisely in the Ercles' vein he decries, - the very pessimism of the Nation, leaving us neither mind, morals, nor manners...
...code of morality, it will be seen, can only influence mental processes indirectly, that is, by determining the mind to such or such researches; but investigation once set afoot, the laws of thought, of evidence, and of logic, and not rules of action, conduct us to truth or falsehood, and thus when rules of morality, as well as all else, are subjected to the scrutiny of reason, they cease even indirectly to influence mental growth and become themselves the product of thought. Thus do we find, superstitions apart, that moral character is the perfect blossom of culture, which differs...
...authority of the Nation closes the eye of reason, thus far is it productive of sloth. Not pessimism, but to be cowed into pessimism or anything else, therefore, is the evil. I question whether pessimism, as such, does not tend to increased activity of mind, whatever blight it may cast upon the moral sense, as involving critical examination into things ordinarily unquestioned, and a constant warfare with the received optimism. I might quote the extraordinary activity of the German Schopenhauer; and as to the general futility of any philosophical theory in stopping the processes of thought, the name of Spinoza...
...epithet would indeed be welcome; but this profound specialist seems to have failed to comprehend the whole bearing of the argument. The "elaborate application of Mr. Spencer's doctrine" consisted in a passing reference, seven lines in length, to prove that a modern specialist needs a highly differentiated mind. The rest of the argument - maintaining that specialization was not the object of an academic course, and thus accounting for our collegiate indifference - was in no manner dependent on any knowledge, superficial or the reverse, of Mr. Spencer's theories...
...writer in the Advocate also accuses me of identifying "culture with superficial knowledge," and of affirming that "youthful indifference is necessary to the development of the best professional mind." It is most perplexing for the ordinary mind to attempt to follow the deep process of reasoning by which this truly "astounding" result was attained. To say that superficial knowledge, extended to all subjects, becomes culture, is correct, - otherwise, no one could be cultured, for no one can be an universal specialist - but when from this premise the conclusion is reached that "culture is superficial knowledge," the enthymeme of our critic...