Narrative Summary of The Purposes of a Philosophical Association

Overview:

This text is a presidential address given by J.E. Creighton at the first annual meeting of the American Philosophical Association in 1902. The text is a passionate plea for the value of philosophical associations and argues against the tendency of philosophers to work in isolation, emphasizing the importance of cooperation and the interchange of ideas.

Main Parts:

Introduction: Creighton begins by acknowledging the importance of social interaction and the exchange of ideas in all fields of scientific inquiry. He contends that philosophers, in particular, have been slower to embrace this need for collaboration.
History and Importance of Collaboration: Creighton explores the history of scientific collaboration, highlighting the role of communication and exchange of ideas amongst prominent figures in philosophy and the founding of scientific societies. He argues for the necessity of historical study to understand philosophical problems, emphasizing the need to approach history through the lens of contemporary challenges.
The Benefits of Collaboration: Creighton outlines several advantages of philosophical association, including the need for external criticism to overcome one-sided perspectives, the importance of intellectual sanity in navigating complex philosophical issues, and the power of collective effort to inspire and empower individuals.
The Purpose of the Association: Creighton emphasizes the importance of promoting original investigation and publication as the primary goal of the Association, highlighting the need for a high standard of scholarship and the importance of creating an environment conducive to research. He argues against focusing on methods of teaching philosophy and emphasizes the value of scholarly inquiry.
The Standing of Philosophy: Creighton addresses the perceived lack of recognition for philosophy in the learned world, attributing it partly to the historical subordination of philosophy to theology and the lack of demonstrably practical results. He argues for the importance of demonstrating the practical relevance of philosophical inquiry and emphasizes the need to move beyond overly abstract discussions.
The Importance of Interdisciplinarity: Creighton acknowledges the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, particularly with psychology. He emphasizes the importance of maintaining philosophical independence and warns against imitating methods from other fields, arguing for the unique standpoint and methods of philosophy.

View on Life:

The Value of Collaboration: Creighton firmly believes in the power of collaboration and the exchange of ideas to overcome individual limitations and biases. He sees this as essential for achieving intellectual sanity and fostering a sense of community amongst scholars.
The Importance of Practicality: While acknowledging the theoretical nature of philosophical inquiry, Creighton emphasizes the need for philosophy to produce results that have practical relevance and can contribute to the understanding of human experience.
The Humanizing Power of Philosophy: Creighton emphasizes the humanist nature of philosophy, arguing that its role is to take the facts of nature and human experience and interpret them through the lens of complete and self-conscious human experience.

Scenarios:

The isolated philosopher: Creighton warns against the pitfalls of the isolated philosopher who works without the benefit of external critique and collaboration.
The philosopher seeking affiliation: Creighton warns against the tendency of philosophers to mimic methods from other fields, arguing that this undermines the unique contribution of philosophy.

Challenges:

The challenge of complexity: Creighton acknowledges the immense difficulty and complexity of philosophical problems, which can lead to a sense of despair and a loss of motivation.
The challenge of isolation: Creighton identifies the tendency for philosophers to work in isolation as a significant obstacle to progress.
The challenge of practicality: Creighton emphasizes the need for philosophers to demonstrate the practical relevance of their work to overcome the perception that it is abstract and irrelevant.

Conflict:

The conflict between individual and collective: Creighton navigates the tension between the individual’s need for independence and the necessity of collaboration for achieving intellectual progress.
The conflict between philosophy and other fields: Creighton addresses the challenge of maintaining philosophical independence while recognizing the value of interdisciplinary collaboration.

Plot:

The text is an argumentative essay that unfolds as a reasoned defense of the value of philosophical associations. The primary arc is the development of Creighton’s argument from the importance of collaboration in general to the specific benefits of philosophical associations. Key milestones include:

The establishment of the need for collaboration in scientific inquiry
The historical development of scientific societies
The benefits of collaborative work for philosophers
The purpose and potential of the American Philosophical Association
The need for philosophy to be more engaged with the world
The importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and the unique role of philosophy.

Point of View:

Creighton writes from the perspective of a seasoned philosopher and a leader in the field. His tone is passionate, urging his colleagues to embrace the value of collaboration and recognize the importance of their work. He speaks from the vantage point of someone who understands the challenges and opportunities of philosophical inquiry.

How It’s Written:

The text is written in a formal, academic style, with complex sentence structure and a rich vocabulary. Creighton uses rhetorical devices such as anecdotes, historical examples, and direct address to engage the reader and strengthen his argument. For instance, he uses a vivid image in stating, “To be insane in the full sense of the word is just to lose connection with one’s fellows,” to illustrate the danger of intellectual isolation.

Tone:

The tone is passionate and persuasive, with a strong sense of urgency. Creighton expresses a deep concern for the state of philosophy and its standing in the world. He conveys a sense of responsibility and a desire to see his field thrive.

Life Choices:

Creighton implicitly argues for the importance of embracing collaboration and contributing to the intellectual community. He suggests that philosophers should choose to engage with their colleagues, share their work, and actively participate in the pursuit of knowledge.

Lessons:

The value of collaboration: Collaboration is essential for intellectual growth and progress, overcoming individual limitations and biases.
The importance of intellectual sanity: Maintaining intellectual sanity requires engaging with others, seeking feedback, and avoiding isolation.
The relevance of philosophy: Philosophy has the potential to make a significant contribution to the world, but this requires actively engaging with the challenges of the time and demonstrating the practicality of philosophical insights.

Characters:

J.E. Creighton: The author, a prominent philosopher of his time, who is passionate about the value of philosophical associations and believes in the power of collaboration.
Philosophers: Creighton refers to philosophers as a group, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses. He argues for the need for greater collaboration and intellectual sanity amongst philosophers.
The isolated philosopher: This figure is presented as a cautionary tale, illustrating the dangers of working in isolation and neglecting the perspectives of others.
The philosopher seeking affiliation: This figure represents the tendency of some philosophers to mimic methods from other fields, which Creighton argues is a mistake.

Themes:

Collaboration: The importance of working together, sharing ideas, and acknowledging the value of diverse perspectives.
Intellectual sanity: The importance of maintaining a balanced and healthy perspective, avoiding excessive isolation and recognizing the need for external critique.
The relevance of philosophy: The need for philosophical inquiry to be engaged with the challenges of the world and demonstrate its practical value.
The importance of a unique philosophical perspective: Philosophy has a distinctive role and methods that cannot be simply copied from other fields.

Principles:

The power of intellectual community: The pursuit of knowledge is enhanced through the creation of intellectual communities where ideas are shared, debated, and challenged.
The importance of humility: The pursuit of knowledge requires recognizing our own limitations and being open to learning from others.
The relevance of philosophy to human life: Philosophical inquiry is not merely abstract speculation, but has the power to inform our understanding of the world and guide our actions.

Intentions of the characters in the text or the reader of the text:

Creighton’s intention: To persuade his fellow philosophers of the value of philosophical associations and encourage them to embrace the power of collaboration.
Reader’s intention: To gain a deeper understanding of the purpose and value of philosophical associations, to consider Creighton’s arguments about the importance of collaboration and the relevance of philosophy, and perhaps to be inspired to actively engage in the intellectual community.

Unique Vocabulary:

Idols of the cave: This term, borrowed from Francis Bacon, refers to the limitations and biases that stem from our individual experiences and perspectives.
Die zeitraubende und kraftabsorbirende academische Lehrthätigkeit: This German phrase, which translates to “the time-consuming and energy-absorbing academic teaching activity,” highlights the pressures and demands of teaching.
Humanize: Creighton uses this word to emphasize the unique role of philosophy, which is to take the facts of nature and interpret them through the lens of human experience.

Anecdotes:

The story of Descartes: Creighton recounts Descartes’ reliance on correspondence with other scholars for feedback on his work, illustrating the importance of intellectual exchange.
The Socratic method: Creighton uses the Socratic method as an example of the power of collaboration in philosophical inquiry, highlighting the value of diverse perspectives and dialogue in uncovering truth.

Ideas:

The importance of intellectual cooperation: This is a central idea throughout the text, with Creighton arguing that collaboration is essential for overcoming individual limitations and advancing knowledge.
The need for a philosophical community: Creighton argues that philosophers should strive to build a sense of community and work together to advance their field.
The importance of practical relevance: Creighton emphasizes the need for philosophy to demonstrate its relevance to the world and address practical concerns.

Facts and findings:

The historical development of scientific societies: Creighton points to the founding of the Royal Society of London and the Academy of Sciences in Berlin as evidence of the long-standing tradition of scientific collaboration.
The historical subordination of philosophy to theology: Creighton acknowledges that philosophy has suffered in the past from being relegated to a subordinate role, which he argues has hindered its development and influence.

Points of view:

The text is written from the first-person point of view of J.E. Creighton, a prominent philosopher of his time. This perspective gives the text a personal and passionate tone, strengthening the argument by conveying Creighton’s own conviction about the value of philosophical associations.

Perspective:

The text is written from the perspective of a philosopher who is deeply concerned about the state of his field and its standing in the world. Creighton emphasizes the importance of intellectual sanity, collaboration, and demonstrating the relevance of philosophy to human life. His perspective reflects a desire to see philosophy flourish and contribute meaningfully to the advancement of knowledge and understanding.

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