ABSTRACT
A Philosopher tries to detach himself as far as possible from purely personal influences and prejudices; he tries to follow the argument wherever it may lead. But he never succeeds in becoming impersonal. His experience is his own, and cannot be an experience common to all mankind; and even his intellectual judgment is affected by the varying sensitiveness of his mind to different kinds of considerations. In dealing with such a topic as Theism in a short essay one may do something to meet the claims of honesty by giving some account of the influences which may be supposed to have been most potent in determining the general habit of one’s mind.
