CHAPTER X CONCLUSION The end we aim at must be known before the way."-JEAN PAUL. WE have now to recapitulate. At the beginning we stated that it was our intention to teach the art of thinking apart from the Recapitula technicalities of psychology and logic. tion. It is quite possible that to many we have failed to accomplish our purpose, but the reader will bear us out when we say that there are few technical terms in the preceding chapters, and that, as a whole, the arguments and illustrations are such as can be understood by those who have had an average education. And if we have not succeeded in giving a compressed view of those principles and practices in which the art of thinking consists, we shall endeavour in this chapter to give such unity to these things as will enable every student clearly to comprehend the whole. We commenced with the declaration that there is great need of a thought-revival. Of this there can be no doubt. Scrappy reading A thought- and no thinking seems to be the order revival. of the day. But what is the first step a reformer should take to bring about a better state of things? How can he stir dormant intellect into activity? There are more ways than one, but for ourselves we thought it best to begin with an outline of the thinking faculty, and in the chapter bearing that title we discussed Feeling, intel- feeling, intellect, and will, and their leet, and will. inter-relations, adding also a section on the laws of thought. We then passed on to consider how thoughts are born and the mind furnished with ideas. "Use your eyes and ears in a word, observe. Reflect upon what Thought pro- you see; read with a critical and creaduction. tive mind the best books; cultivate enlightened conversation; and, as opportunity serves, travel, and see the world of men and things." How to think correctly was then dealt with. Negative rules came first: what to avoid as dangerous. At great length we treated of prejudice, that bugbear of all true thought. We saw how birth and nationality could blind a man to excellent things beyond the Prejudice. borders of his own country; how temperament pre-disposes us in favour of some theories and against others; how the theorist was open to the danger of squeezing facts to fit his hypothesis, and how an unintelligent conservatism can obscure the beauty of newly discovered truth. Along with the dangers of prejudice we discussed the dangers of emotion. Pride, fear, sympathy, and admiration emotion. were considered in turn as to the way in which they magnetized the mind from the orbit of correct thought. At the same time we pleaded that emotion had a rightful place in all true thinking. Dangers of Positive aspects were then studied. The importance of method was emphasized, also the necessity of acquiring the art of concentration. The laws of evidence were next dwelt General rules upon, followed immediately by sections on drawing distinctions, the use and abuse of authority, the treachery of words, and the need of health. The positive element proper was dealt with in the chapter on constructive thinking. Attention was called to the necessity of being sure about facts, and of a true system of Constructive classification; reasoning from the known thinking. to the unknown by analogy, and the use of the constructive imagination came in for brief notice; we also had something to say on careful generalization and conducive moods for An ethical mental productiveness, closing the chap view. ter by citing examples of synthetic methods. A few words on the moral aspect of thought, and on the commercial value of trained intelligence, brought our investigations to an end. The questions we have attempted to answer, when put in tabulated form, are as follow: The Mind. (1) What is it?—Chap. II. (2) How is it furnished?-Chap. III. (4) How can I think creatively?—Chap. VI. T |