The Principles of Philosophy

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The present work grew out of the lectures on Epistemology and Metaphysics I delivered to my students. In view of the fact that there are good many well-written works on Metaphysics and General Philosophy, such as Prof. Taylor's Elements of Meta-physics, Prof. Paulsen's Introduction to Philosophy. Prof. Mackenzie's Elements of Constructive Philosophy, Prof. Patrick's Introduction to Philosophy and Prof. Cunningham's Problems of Philosophy, the publication of a new book on the subject may appear as a superfluity. But my apology for a fresh venture is that the Syllabuses for the Graduate and Post-Graduate courses in Metaphysics and Epistemology prescribed by the Indian Universities do not appear to be covered by any one of the above-mentioned works. An attempt has been made in this work to present almost all the important problems in the simplest possible language with an eye to their historical setting and comprehend-siveness ; and the graded method I have adopted in the presentation of the problems, rising from the easier to the more and more complicated aspects of them, is expected to meet not only the requirements of the B. A. Pass students, but also those of the Honours and Post-Graduate students in philosophy as well. My labour will be amply rewarded if such expectation is fulfilled.

The position 'I have developed in my works is that of Concrete Idealistic Monism in which Reality has been viewed as a dynamic spiritual principle, a concrete universal, embracing with-in itself the physical, the biological and the conscious levels of existence that it evolves as real self-expressions or elements in its life, and not as having merely an adjectival status as Bradley and Bosanquet take them to do. It is at the same time the home of absolute values that make up its essence. The absolute values in themselves are teleological forces and attract from before the entire existence to themselves as its destined goal. I have laid under contribution the recent developments in scientific and philosophical concepts and have incorporated them after proper sifting, never with the fad of revolutionary 'modernism', but always with the due moderation of a reconstructive attitude. On the other hand, I have been fully convinced that Logic or Dialectic has no unlimited sphere of its application and should not be allowed to divide Life and Existence without a remainder. Logic is not the whole of Life which ever looks up to 'super-reason' at least for satisfaction, if not for solution of all its enigmas when it faces Reality. While tackling some of the vital problems of Western philosophy I have deliberately introduced Indian parallels, wherever possible, with a two-fold purpose, first with a view to initiating the inquisitive into the high intellectual altitude which the Indian speculative mind has already attained in the sphere of those problems, and secondly, with a view to disillusioning the minds of those who are for the compartmental separation of eastern thought from western speculation—for they should realise that philosophy is not national, nor international, but cosmopolitan and universal. In interpretation of most of the important problems I have made, wherever necessary, an independent approach and I hold myself fully responsible for the views expressed.

In the preparation of the book I have been greatly indebted to many reputed authors eastern and western to whose works I have referred in proper places. My special acknowledgments are due to Professor S. Radhakrishnan whose works I have extensively utilised. In preparing the manuscripts and seeing them through the press I must acknowledge my gratefulness to a number of my students of whom Mr. M. L. Mukherjee, M.A. had the untiring patience and enthusiasm in writing down the manuscripts as I dictated them to him ; and the index is entirely his making. Mr. Harendra Nath Ghosal, B.A., prepared typed copies of the manuscripts and Mr. Bibhuti Bhusan Mandal, M.A., in collaboration with Mr. M. L. Mukherjee immensely helped me in reading the proofs. Mr. Santosh Kumar Samanta, M.A., also lent his services from time to time. My special thanks are due to Professor Katyayanidas Bhattacharyya, M.A., the most brilliant of my students and 'now an equally brilliant colleague of mine for many valuable suggestions. I must not also omit to express my thankfulness to my friend and colleague, Professor Mohini Mohan Mukherjee, M.A., who kindly went through a portion of my manuscripts.