ABSTRACT
Philosophy is being weighed by practical men and by social reformers, by scientists and by theologians. In the past, philosophical theories have more than once shaken the social order to its foundations: to-day the philosopher's tendency is to look upon social phenomena simply as facts to be observed and understood. The philosopher is still supposed to want to settle, in a high-handed a priori way, empirical problems which science unravels by patient observation and ingenious experimentation. The nations at war could make little, if any, use of their philosophers except as propagandists, and propaganda too often proved demoralising to philosophy. Many influences are thus converging upon putting philosophers out of humour with philosophy. The spirit of philosophy, then, as exhibited in philosophising, is the highest form of the principle of wholeness which is present throughout the life of mind wherever something is being learnt in, and from, experience.
