Page:Mind (New Series) Volume 12.djvu/549

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EICHARD B. HALDANE, The Pathway to Eeality. 535 without so much as raising the question of Free-will, though it may also be doubted whether the acceptance of the Hegelian point of view shows that the problem of Freedom can be curtly brushed aside as meaning simply nothing at all. However fully Deter- minism may be admitted, there are many and difficult problems, about the relation of the individual mind (or what appears to be such) to the Universal Mind, and these questions have important bearings upon Morality and upon Keligion. Even Indeterminism can hardly be brushed aside as a mere chimera in the form in which it is defended by such men as Lotze, Kenouvier, Prof. Howison and others. And Determinism may mean a great many different things. Spinoza, Mr. Bradley and Dr. Caird are all Determinists, but each of them denies much which one or more of the others would think it important to affirm. Another great omission in Mr. Haldane's work is the absence of any discussion of Time. The subjectivity of Time is simply assumed without argument, and assumed in a particularly extreme form. For these omissions the narrow limits which the author has prescribed to himself may no doubt be pleaded. But the curt way in which some of these great questions are touched upon is probably also due not only to limitations imposed upon the present volume, but to the assumption that the Hegelian clue carries us farther than it really does. Eecent developments within the Hegelian school seem to show that even Hegelians not less appreciative of the Master's work than Mr. Haldane have begun to recognise that, however important Hegel's contribution to their solution may have been, his way of thinking is not exactly a magic key which unlocks all riddles; and that there are questions which, though orthodox Hegelianism may magisterially rule them out as meaning- less, will continue to be asked, and will have to be answered. Among these are some of the ethical and religious questions upon which the Gifford Lectures of 1902-3 have hardly touched. I trust that in future Gifford Lectures or otherwise Mr. Haldane may find time to deal with them more adequately. At present many readers will be set wondering what possible bearing the belief in an Ultimate Eeality such as our author has told us of can be supposed to have upon Eeligion or upon life. As to the meta- physical questions with which Mr. Haldane has really dealt, those who are least disposed to think that Hegel has said the last word about them, or that the last word has been said about Hegel, will feel sincere gratitude to Mr. Haldane for the clear exposition of much which has been often wrapped up in unnecessary mystery, and an ardent desire for more of the same quality. H. EASHDALL.