Showing papers by "Albion College published in 1974"

the culture concept as ideology

Abstract: Anthropology's culture concept is intimately related to theories of instinct in biology. The ideological function of both concepts is to preserve traditional Christian-Cartesian views about human uniqueness. L. H. Morgan differed from the Boasians both in arguing against “instinct” and in refusing to use the culture concept. The Boasians used the culture concept as an ideological device to discredit the Morganian Washington school and to establish themselves as an independent disipline in American universities.

Process and Personality

Abstract: The structure of reality exhibits various levels or grades, of which personality is, for Temple, the highest These levels need to be examined as they have emerged in the World-Process; at the same time, it is germane to discover how Temple employs personality as a metaphysical principle of explanation

The Historical Process

Abstract: Temple’s interpretation of history begins with an examination of the historical process itself, of the task which confronts the historian in his attempt to understand this process, and of the human forces which operate within history. The historical order, however, can only be understood in terms of its relation to the eternal order; hence, the meaning of eternity and the mutual effect of eternity and time on each other must be explored. A final question is posed and a tentative answer suggested regarding the possibility of individual personality surviving both death and the end of history.

Justification for Theism

Abstract: Belief in God is for Temple justified not by any single strand of evidence or by one argument alone. The approach is rather to gather evidence together from various areas of experience, incorporating the methods of several disciplines. It is the cumulative effect which the convergence of these independent arguments affords that gives both intellectual weight and psychological force to the belief in God.

God and the Meaning of History

Abstract: In contrast to Temple’s social philosophy, his philosophy of history points up the defects of his position. The task which Temple set for himself in formulating a philosophy of history is certainly a formidable one, namely, to bring together all of the basic truths which traditional Christianity has taught regarding God and history: (1) the complete supremacy of God over history while claiming that man is free; (2) the reality of history and belief in progress; (3) finally, the eschatological expectation of Christians who anticipate the day when God will usher in His new kingdom. Has Temple succeeded in bringing together these facets of Christian tradition and demonstrating their cogency for rendering history intelligible? Concerning Temple’s ambitious endeavor, W. R. Matthews writes: “We are persuaded, while we read, that in principle the problem is solved, but subsequent reflection awakens doubt whether the solution may not be partly verbal.”1 The justification for this negative judgment can be indicated by reference to two fundamental issues: (1) the relation of God to history and history to God; (2) the meaning of human history and the grounds for belief in the survival of human personality beyond history.

The Understanding of Reality

Abstract: Before the presentation of Temple’s suggested synthesis to the epistemological problem, it may be well to review briefly the problem as he has developed it. Descartes’ emphasis on the self isolated from everything else and, thus, necessarily dependent on its own ideas for knowledge of the world has been shown to be fallacious. But it is not desirable nor possible to return to the naive realism prevalent in the medieval period which claimed that the mind is directly aware of real objects in experience and gains direct knowledge of the world. The latter represents the thesis in the triadic attempt to solve the problems of epistemology revealed in the history of thought, of which Descartes’ proposal is the antithesis.

Philosophy and the Christian Faith

Abstract: In the preceding four sections Temple’s Christian philosophy has been systematically and sympathetically expounded. Some brief critical comments have been made at various points for the sake of noting ambiguities and to facilitate an understanding of Temple’s position. The task of the final section is to offer a more extensive and systematic evaluation of Temple’s contribution toward the construction of a distinctively Christian philosophy. An exhaustive critique of all facets of his Christian philosophy has not been attempted; however, an attempt is made to focus on the major critical points of Temple’s position. Where it serves to clarify Temple’s views or to sharpen the evaluation, a reformulation of the problem leading to a possible alternative solution is outlined.

The Person in Relation to Society

Abstract: Temple’s moral and social philosophy taken together serve to point up both the merits and defects of his philosophical approach as an examination of the following issues will substantiate: (1) the relation of potentially valuable objects independent of man to man’s experience of them; (2) the significance and efficacy of human will in man’s quest for ethical goodness; (3) the role that the foreseeable consequences of an act play in deciding one’s obligation in a given situation; (4) the application of fundamental Christian social principles to the existing political and economic orders.

Christian Social Thought

Abstract: Temple’s understanding of Christianity led him to affirm three basic social principles as applicable to any social structure.1 An exposition of these Christian social principles is the logical place to begin an analysis of Temple’s views on human personality and society followed by the application of these principles to the two major social orders, namely, the political and economic orders. In what follows no attempt is made to present an exhaustive treatment of Temple’s views on social issues; what is offered is an exposition of the significance the principle of personality has upon Temple’s social thought and some of the applications he made to crucial political and economic issues.2

The Philosophic Enterprise

Abstract: The philosophic task represents for Temple the most serious efforts of man to comprehend the meaning of existence. The philosopher makes “a determined effort to think clearly and comprehensively about the problems of life and existence.”1

The Need of Ethics for Religion

Abstract: It is well before proceeding in an attempt to solve the theoretical and practical problems of ethics to state more carefully what man’s moral situation is. This entails bringing together in a different way material already presented in preceding chapters.

History and Eternity

Abstract: The attempt to clarify the relations of time and eternity can appropriately begin with an examination of the meaning that history has for eternity. Temple suggests three main views which have predominated in this regard. All three present partial truths taken separately; Temple proposes a fourth view in which he strives to bring together the truths of each of the other three while eliminating the falsities.

The Category of the Personal and the Problem of God

Abstract: The centrality of the concept of personality in Temple’s philosophy is particularly apparent in the use he makes of personality as a metaphysical principle of explanation. Two points need to be evaluated in Temple’s analysis: (1) the justification for using purpose as the only adequate explanatory principle; (2) the adequacy of Temple’s approach in arriving at the nature of the Supreme Being whose purpose is held to explain the universe.

The Knowledge Venture

Abstract: As the discussion of the philosophic method revealed, it is Temple’s contention that to know anything one must trace its historical origins and the process of development which it has undergone. The mental activity of man must also be understood in terms of the history of its occurrence and development in the World-Process. An analysis of the function of thinking in the development of the human species through the evolutionary process indicates that thinking is itself an extension of the organic process from which it arose, serving as an additional means by which an organism strives to adjust to its environment.

The Relevance of Christian Philosophy

Abstract: Philosophy, as the effort of the mind of man to comprehend all of experience, probes of necessity into the articles of faith held by religious people. The primary difference between philosophy and religion is apparent at this point; for starting from experience as philosophy does, it seeks to formulate a coherent explanation of experience without assuming beforehand what the nature of this explanatory concept must be. Its only assumption is in regard to reason’s validity to make the quest and, thus, that the world is sufficiently rational to be capable of rational explanation.