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Presidential Address
801
influence each other as parts of one organic whole of knowledge. Thus among the eminent philosophers or those who work in the field of Philosophy at the present day—such as Bergson, Alexander, and Russell, to mention only a few prominent names-have used their knowledge of Science for investigating the problems of Philosophy. 'Philosophy', says Alexander,
may be described as the experimental or empirical study of the non-empirical,' 'its spirit is one with the spirit of Science,' 'the two differing not so much in their method as in the nature of the subjects with which they deal.'
While the use of the empirical method of Science in the domain of Philosophy has given it a strong Realistic turn as against the Idealism of the last quarter of the nineteenth century, the 'theory of Relativity, which is the most revolutionary discovery of the present-day science, has played havoc with our common sense ideals of Space and Time, and has thereby breathed new life into the school of Idealism. Still, as was to be expected, the preponderance of the influence which Science has exercised on Philosophy must be pronounced to be in the direction of Realism. How far the new Realists are consistent in their position or have drawn right conclusions from their premises is, however a different question. At least the lines of demarcation between Realism and Idealism at the present day have become very indistinct. The new Realism is far different from the old Naturalism which was inaugurated by Darwin's theory of Evolution. For example, in the Realism of Alexander, minds possess reality no less and no more ૧૦૧
