Philosophy

PHILOSOPHIA PERENNIS
The Criticism of Experience. By D. J. 13. Hawkins. (Sheed and Ward. 5s.)
Reviewed by J. L. RUSSELL, S.J.
FR. Hawkins has performed a notable service to contemporary philosophy by this little book. Its theme is the philosophical analysis of experience, with particular reference to perception and our knowledge of the external world.
It is a problem which, more-then any other, has moved a stumbling-block to philosophers outside the Catholic schools from the time 01 Descartes on
wards. Descartes, as is well-known, began by asking himself the question: How can I know that what I think I
know 1..1 really true ? We have all found at one time or another that some of the things we though we knew turn out to have been mere erroneous opinion. Is there any infallible criterion for distinguishing between true knowledge and mere opinion ?
Descartes' auestion was a legitimate and important one, which had as a matter of fac• been rather neglected during the Middle Ages and is even now not always treated by Catholic Philosophers with the respect it dekrvee. Unfortunately, Descartes' treatment contains a fundamental flaw which ha. been inherited by all his successor, apd has effectively prevented them from finding any satisfactory solution. Indeed the history of modern non-Catholic philosophy has been a monument of misdirected energyThere has been a succession of brilliant individual thinkers, each constructing his own s4 item yet none of these systems has been uble to establish itself as true. 07 even as probable, in the long run To-day. philosophers have become tired of devising new philosophies to be pulled to pieces by their children and there is a general air of discouragement in the philoso
phical world The time is therefore particularly apt fot a serious effort by Catholics to expound their own solo
lion of the problem in the light of the philosophia perennis, in such a way as to make effective contact with those who have been brought up in a different tradition.
FR. Hawkins' book is admirably fitted for this purpose. It has two main themes The first is to expose Descartes' initial error and to show it working itself out through Locke, Beckeley, Hume and Kant to its logital concluSion in egtreme subjectiv. tam and ecopticism The second is to suggest a correct approach which shall give due weight to the positive achievemote of these philosophers, while avoiding their mistakes. The argument is clear and compact ; it is surprising how much good material thc author has packed intu 124 rather small 'ages. Of particular interest perhaps are the historical exposition of the British philosophers from Locke to Hamilton and the cleat analysis of various errors which block the way to any sound theory of knowledge. Fr. Hawkins' own proof of the real existence and knowability of the external world seems to be perfect!? valid, though it will doubtless have to stand up in much searching criticism before it can be regarded as finally established.
Only one criticism of any importance suggests itself. Thai is that. while the author's philosophical analysis of experience is admirable, his psychological analysis leaves something to be desired. 1-or instance, the account of the " datum of vision • on page 45 and of the difference betwen image and sensation on page 120 are unduly oversimplified. Similarly. the terms sensation and perception need more careful definition than they are given, in view of the fact that the author is •using them in a rather different sense from
what is customary nowadays. However, these points do not detract from the essential value of the'book, which can he warmly recommended to all interested in philosophy.