American Academy of Political and Social Science

Movements of Thought in the Nineteenth Century by George H. Mead

Review by: L. M. Pape
Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Vol. 187, Railroads and
Government (Sep., 1936), pp. 251-252
Published by: Sage Publications, Inc. in association with the American Academy of Political and
Social Science
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 BOOK DEPARTMENT 251

is accomplished. Neither theologians nor American act become idea. For it is pecul-
conventionally minded historians will take iarly the product of American thinkers,
any comfort in it. Schiller being excepted. C. S. Peirce,
Of course it is possible to differ from Pro-
probably America's greatest philosopher,
fessor Becker as to certain of the presuppo- whose works are now being posthumously
sitions in his philosophy of history. While published, formulated its basic tenet.
he is doubtless wise in refusing to find a Dewey, James, and to a lesser degree
"cause" in many concomitant variations, Schiller have been the chief exponents,
it is a question whether one can always Dewey having been particularly successful
dismiss the matter of priority in such in reaching the scientists, notably, of course,
relationships. The author himself occa- the social scientists. But comparable to
sionally indulges-one gathers, against his these for depth of thought, though rela-
own better judgment-in observations on tively obscure by reason of undue modesty
priority. Thus he suggests that the taste towards publication, is Professor Mead,
for travel which developed in late medieval whose third posthumous volume is now in
Europe may have had some relation to the print. More intensely than any of the
later development of new ideas, science, and others, Mead has worked on the necessarily
"power" in that region. The illustration slow and unspectacular task of specifying
puzzles me, as I was under the impression the process by which mind and ideas emerge
that the Mongols went further, in more from their matrix.
ways than one, than did the Europeans of The present volume nicely illustrates the
the same era. Yet their bad habits seem interweaving of general idea and overt
to have had none of the scientific conse- event which pragmatism emphasizes.
quences which are attributed to similar Moving with enviable ease across the his-
ones in the case of the Westerners. torical landscape, starting with the Middle
Professor Becker would probably be the Ages, passing through the Renaissance, and
last to claim entire novelty for his concept concentrating on the nineteenth century,
of progress. A somewhat similar view was Mead shows the duplicate origin of ideas in
presented some years ago, for example, in events, of events in originated ideas. The
the essays of Professor Edgar A. Singer of Romantic movement, the industrial revolu-
the University of Pennsylvania. Yet the tion, the social and political revolution,
present volume is quite fresh and stimulat- socialism, Kant, Bergson, and so forth, all
ing in the historical presentation of its are interpreted in their interconnections.
theme, and suggestive in its philosophical Finally, and perhaps most importantly,
conclusions. It is to be commended scientific method is presented as one with
especially to thoughtful historians. the method of evolution, with pragmatism,
R. H. SHRYOCK indeed with the method of life itself: namely,
Duke University as the breakdown of hypotheses (or univer-
sals) in the face of exceptions (particulars),
MEAD, GEORGEH. Movementsof Thought or of
on-going experience in the face of
in the Nineteenth Century. Pp. xxxvii,
obstacles, and the subsequent intervention
519. Chicago: University of Chicago of mind to construct a new and better
Press, 1936. $5.00. hypothesis, or to restore the on-going proc-
Pragmatism is essentially a philosophy of ess. But this is not enough. For modern
the act. Ideas and mind are derivative of science is research science. It deliberately
and for the sake of action. They are not seeks for exceptions and breakdowns. In
fictions, nor unimportant; on the contrary other words, evolutionary life has become
they are the indispensable tools for the conscious of the method implicit within it-
organism's mastery of an indifferent en- self. And modern research science is the
vironment. But their adequate function- method institutionalized.
ing requires true understanding of their The book should be helpful to all workers
derivative and instrumental character. It in the fields of social science and philoso-
follows on its own grounds that pragmatism phy. It is unfortunate but unavoidable
is the philosophy of American life. It is that it consists as it does of notes taken
by

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252 THE ANNALS OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY

Mead's students rather than of Mead's own convention to be slavishly accepted, and
writings. The disability is obvious, but has his conception of economic value in terms of
been reduced to a minimum by excellent an evaluating subject and of a scale of
editing. Professor Moore is also to be wants among which preference is exercised.
commended for his helpful introduction. The concepts "want" and "preference"
L. M. PAPE are evidently in need of further careful
University of Chicago analysis, as the author indicates, if the
problem of economic value is to be brought
KAUFMANN, FELIX. Methodenlehre der nearer to solution. In this connection,
Sozialwissenschaften. Pp. iv, 331. Vi- however, an exceedingly important question
enna: Julius Springer, 1936. RM 16. seems to have been completely overlooked
This profound volume on methodology in the book, viz., the scientific worth of
systematically analyzes some of the most marginal utility theory itself (see Philosophy
important current procedural problems of Science, Oct. 1935, pp. 475-481). There
confronting the social studies in general the reviewer would take decided issue with
and economics in particular. In fact, its the author.
scope is even wider, since more than one Methodenlehreder Sozialwissenschaften is
third of its contents (Part I) is devoted to worthy of the serious attention of all stu-
general theory of knowledge under such dents of social-science methodology.
subdivisions as philosophical fundamentals, JOSEPH MAYER
logico-mathematical thought and relation Library of Congress
of deduction to induction, reality and law
and the principle of causality, vitalistic and BRUFORD, W. H. Germany in the 18th
psycho-physical methodology, the general Century: The Social Background of the
concept of value, and the relation of episte- Literary Revival. Pp. x, 354. London:
mology to metaphysics. All these subjects Cambridge University Press, 1935.
are dealt with realistically and for the most $4.50.
part in a way to help dissipate underlying Literature, especially great creative liter-
misconceptions. ature, is due to the operation of two sets of
Part II applies this dialectical procedure factors: the individual artist and the social
to present-day methodological controversies milieu in which the artist works. Professor
in the social studies, taking up such ques- Bruford has undertaken a description and
tions as the following: the significance of explanation of the second set of factors
natural-science methods in social research; with reference to the literary revival in
the need for clarifying psychological funda- Germany during the eighteenth century.
mentals; the problem of value in social This revival developed under the leadership
science and of the "norm" and the "cate- of such men as Klopstock, Goethe, Schiller,
gorical imperative"; the role of history in Wieland, and lesser writers. The author
social science and the relation of "historis- has attempted an exposition of the social,
mus" to "soziologismus"; individualistic economic, and political conditions of this
and universalistic social concepts; Max turbulent century in German letters as
Weber's hypotheses; various meanings these conditions relate to the profession of
given to the word "law" in natural science letters and the content of the literature of
and in social science; and the methodology this period, as well as the style and under-
used in marginal utility theory. lying philosophy of life which motivated it.
Much of this applied dialectical analysis An analysis of the contents of this able
is exceedingly clarifying in the present stage work will indicate the procedure utilized:
of methodological controversy in the social Part I deals with the political structure
studies, especially the author's plea for and governmental system existing in the
greater precision in the formulation of pro- separate states which then constituted the
cedural problems, his emphasis upon sci- German Empire.
entific method as both hypothesis and veri- Part II is concerned with a study of the
fication, his distinction between law as a classes (Stdnde) of the society prior to the
hypothesis to be verified and as an arbitrary opening of the period of revival-the nobil-

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