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About Torch of reason. (Silverton, Oregon) 1896-1903 | View Entire Issue (March 22, 1900)
TH E TORCH OF REASON, SILVERTON, OREGON, MARCH 22, ¡900. Things of the External World tion is at par; when every percep Not Facts of Consciousness. tion is a “ pure h allu cin atio n ” , then w hat we im agine m ay be the real Continued from 1st page, ity , when a universal skepticism is different vibrations of the universe induced, then we can im agine w ith are concentrated, and the universe out lim itation. is accessible to our knowledge only It is a curious fact th a t the p h i through this v ib ratio n ,” (excepting, of course, th a t sm all p art of the losopher who denies the validity of world with which we come into d i the perceptions m ust of necessity rect contact.) So vibration is con use them as a foundation for his tinuous from the object to and inti» fanciful scheme; and hence his con OREGON. the subject, even to the seat of con clusions can not be more real— and sciousness, which, perhaps, includes m ay be much less real — th an the the whole organism of, the subject. perceptions upon which they are To use the form er illu stra tio n , the based. For, to im agine, or fancy, bell is re al—th a t is,a m aterial su b we m ust use thought-conceptions, stance— the m edium is real and by com bining them in various i qq o o ways, because we have no other the vibrations are m ovem ents of a J. EARL HOSMER, I’h. 1)., B. S. D., P res ., reality; the subject is real, and the raw m aterial; the conceptions are Superintendent Department of Cosmology. sound is a feeling belonging to a m ade of perceptions, and if, as M. j . a . . lfithcmstics, I hysicul Sciences, Dynamics. la in e tells us, these perceptions are real th in g ABEL A. LEONARD, M. D., M. E.,* There m ay be “ no fragrance in a “ pure h allu cin atio n ”, the most ex Superintendent Department of Biology, rose,” but there is som ething in a alted product of th e im agination ‘ natomy, 1 hysiology, Animal Electricity, rose u nlike an y th in g else in the has no w a rra n t for its validity. Physiological Psychology, Microscopy. The im agined fact, w hether it be universe, of which fragrance is the THADDEUS B. WAKEMAN, evidence, for it can be seen and a “ god”or a “ perpetual m otion”ma Superintendent D epartm ent of Sociology and Law, felt as well as sm elled, and also chine, m ust be tested hv a com par General History, Sociology, Law, Linguistics, weighed an d m easured. And we ison with what is know n; a n d ,a s a Ethics. are not sure th a t the rose does not test m ust be superior to w hat is sense its own fragrance, or “ A ttar tested, so knowledge takes the high MINNIE P. HOSMER, 1, S„B. S. D„ L r- Superintendent Preparatory D epartm ent, of Roses.” M. R ichet says, “ The est place in the intellect, and what H istory, English Grammar, Botany, Vocal vibrations of n atu ra l forces are is known is the only certainty. The ' Music. probably b lin d ,” and th e trend of im agined may be tru e; but when opinion am ong scientists is toward the test is applied and the possibil PEARL \V. GEER, M. G. H., S ecretary , the probability of sensation being a ity becomes a certainty, it is no Business Methods and Correspondence. general property of all m atter. To longer “ the im agined”, but the MARY CHILDERS, support this, comes the recent known. Illusions there are, and Kindergarten and Primary Classes. statem en t of M. C. E. G uillam e be the senses m ay be deceived, but the SOPHIE WOLF, fore the Swiss Society of N atural person who doubts the reality of Piano Music, Elocution, English Literature. Sciences, th a t “ At bottom , the the external world, or his own ac M. G. COOLEY, abyss which seems to separate curate perceptions, is either a lu n a Violin and Cornet. brute m atter from living m atter tic or a philosopher. CLARA WAKEMAN, does not ex ist.” Then sensation F in ally , the philosophic “ego” is Drawing and Painting. may be th e sam e a t eith er end of an intangible nonentity. The Ver the line. ALICE DAVENPORT, itable Thom as Sm ith in law, and Stenography, Typewriting. But w aiving this, an d ad m ittin g according to common sense and that from the point of view of the modern science, is a tangible real LOUIS RAUCH, Assistant, subject we perceive an image in ity, having a definite size, shape, Bookkeeping, Commercial Arithmetic. stead of the th in g itself, it m ust fol weight and collor, and possessing LORA AMES, Assistant, certain qualities, one of which is low th a t the th in g m ust he as real Physiology, Hygiene. as the image, or effect which it consciousness, which belongs to the KATIE MATTESON, causes in us, and we m ay predicate w,'° ’e Thom as Sm ith, extending to Librarian. a substantial resem blance of the the outer surface at every point. PROFS. HOSMER, WAKEMAN, GEER, latter to th e former. N either sci Hence, when he falls upon the Lecturers on Religion of Science and Humanity. entists nor philosophers are skep ground, or walks up against a stone E M IL Y L. W A K EM A N , tical on this point, except when wall, the consciousness of Thom as M atron. philosophizing— th a t is, speculat Sm ith comes into direct contact *Dr. Leonard has consented to take this chair until some one W hat ing, or im agining. And to be con with the external world. can be found to fill it perm anently. sistent, philosophers m ust claim — would be a more “ direct datum of as some do—th a t what is im agined consciousness” than this? S T U D E N T S M A Y E N T E R A T A N Y T IM E . is more real and true th an w hat is There is no “ m aterialistic philos We are now in our New building, which give« uh room known. o p h y ’ , for “ m aterialism ’ is science, for increased attendance and much better facilities for In the u ltim ate analysis of the and nothing more. I can assure teaching. For term s and fu rth e r p articu lars, address, the stu d en ts of ihe L. U. O th at subject, this is the issue. Philosophy originated in tbeis- th ere is nothing in philosophy S IL V E R T O N OREGON. ’ bcal th in k in g ; and as every The- [m etaphysics] th a t is of real, prac >st or P olytheist has believed th a t tical value. It does not promote the god or gods in which he believ “clear th in k in g ”; for of all w riters, ed wa9 the most real thing or m etaphysicians are the most diffi things in existence, and as these cult to follow and understand. Its beings could be im agined, but could basic assum ptions are unproven, FRIENDS OF LIBERAL ANO SECULAR EDUCATION not be known, it was necessary th a t and -eem likely to rem ain in th at are earnestly rem inded th a t the above U niversity is in act- condition. Its advocates do not ,v“ and harm onious operation, but th a t it m ust be provided with 'P ag in atio n should o u tran k knowl sufficient m eans to finish its building, now approaching com ple edge in the hu m an m ind, and the agree, for there is nothing to com tion and p artly occupied, ho th a t a paying num ber of stud en ts philosophic scheme has been pel agreem ent, and any one with a can be accom m odated. Please to subscribe, or obtain subscrip b o u g h t out with th is object in brilIiant P a g in a tio n can m ake his tions, for our Stock, and send m em oranda of property, books or v»ew. W hen knowledge the most own Ph ’k>8ophy and be just as sure a p p a ra tu s you can furnish. 7 J. E arl H osmer , President of Faculty. certain is reduced to an inference, °f its tru th as were any of the an- V U’r akeman , President Board of Directors. ben the product of the im a g in a -1 cient or m odern w riters. I . W. ( ie e r , Sec’y Board and Business M anager. T»? liberal !, UNIVERSITY L a c u ity — S -’ MZ P e a r l W G e e r , S e c ’y .