lecture01-第4节
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could be made to hold its tongue。
Medical materialism seems indeed a good appellation for the too
simple…minded system of thought which we are considering。
Medical materialism finishes up Saint Paul by calling his vision
on the road to Damascus a discharging lesion of the occipital
cortex； he being an epileptic。 It snuffs out Saint Teresa as an
hysteric； Saint Francis of Assisi as an hereditary degenerate。
George Fox's discontent with the shams of his age； and his pining
for spiritual veracity； it treats as a symptom of a disordered
colon。 Carlyle's organ…tones of misery it accounts for by a
gastro…duodenal catarrh。 All such mental overtensions； it says；
are； when you come to the bottom of the matter； mere affairs of
diathesis （auto…intoxications most probably）； due to the
perverted action of various glands which physiology will yet
discover。 And medical materialism then thinks that the spiritual
authority of all such personages is successfully undermined。＇2＇
＇2＇ For a first…rate example of medical…materialist reasoning；
see an article on 〃les varietes du Type devot；〃 by Dr。
Binet…Sangle； in the Revue de l'Hypnotisme； xiv。 161。
Let us ourselves look at the matter in the largest possible way。
Modern psychology； finding definite psycho…physical connections
to hold good； assumes as a convenient hypothesis that the
dependence of mental states upon bodily conditions must be
thoroughgoing and complete。 If we adopt the assumption； then of
course what medical materialism insists on must be true in a
general way； if not in every detail： Saint Paul certainly had
once an epileptoid； if not an epileptic seizure； George Fox was
an hereditary degenerate； Carlyle was undoubtedly
auto…intoxicated by some organ or other； no matter whichand the
rest。 But now； I ask you； how can such an existential account of
facts of mental history decide in one way or another upon their
spiritual significance？ According to the general postulate of
psychology just referred to； there is not a single one of our
states of mind； high or low； healthy or morbid； that has not some
organic process as its condition。 Scientific theories are
organically conditioned just as much as religious emotions are；
and if we only knew the facts intimately enough； we should
doubtless see 〃the liver〃 determining the dicta of the sturdy
atheist as decisively as it does those of the Methodist under
conviction anxious about his soul。 When it alters in one way the
blood that percolates it； we get the methodist； when in another
way； we get the atheist form of mind。 So of all our raptures and
our drynesses； our longings and pantings； our questions and
beliefs。 They are equally organically founded； be they religious
or of non…religious content。
To plead the organic causation of a religious state of mind；
then； in refutation of its claim to possess superior spiritual
value； is quite illogical and arbitrary； unless one has
already worked out in advance some psycho…physical theory
connecting spiritual values in general with determinate sorts of
physiological change。 Otherwise none of our thoughts and
feelings； not even our scientific doctrines； not even our
DIS…beliefs； could retain any value as revelations of the truth；
for every one of them without exception flows from the state of
its possessor's body at the time。
It is needless to say that medical materialism draws in point of
fact no such sweeping skeptical conclusion。 It is sure； just as
every simple man is sure； that some states of mind are inwardly
superior to others； and reveal to us more truth； and in this it
simply makes use of an ordinary spiritual judgment。 It has no
physiological theory of the production of these its favorite
states； by which it may accredit them； and its attempt to
discredit the states which it dislikes； by vaguely associating
them with nerves and liver； and connecting them with names
connoting bodily affliction； is altogether illogical and
inconsistent。
Let us play fair in this whole matter； and be quite candid with
ourselves and with the facts。 When we think certain states of
mind superior to others； is it ever because of what we know
concerning their organic antecedents？ No！ it is always for two
entirely different reasons。 It is either because we take an
immediate delight in them； or else it is because we believe them
to bring us good consequential fruits for life。 When we speak
disparagingly of 〃feverish fancies；〃 surely the fever…process as
such is not the ground of our disesteemfor aught we know to the
contrary； 103 degrees or 104 degrees Fahrenheit might be a much
more favorable temperature for truths to germinate and sprout in；
than the more ordinary blood…heat of 97 or 98 degrees。 It is
either the disagreeableness itself of the fancies； or their
inability to bear the criticisms of the convalescent hour。 When
we praise the thoughts which health brings； health's peculiar
chemical metabolisms have nothing to do with determining our
judgment。 We know in fact almost nothing about these
metabolisms。 It is the character of inner happiness in the
thoughts which stamps them as good； or else their consistency
with our other opinions and their serviceability for our needs；
which make them pass for true in our esteem。
Now the more intrinsic and the more remote of these criteria do
not always hang together。 Inner happiness and serviceability do
not always agree。 What immediately feels most 〃good〃 is not
always most 〃true；〃 when measured by the verdict of the rest of
experience。 The difference between Philip drunk and Philip sober
is the classic instance in corroboration。 If merely 〃feeling
good〃 could decide； drunkenness would be the supremely valid
human experience。 But its revelations； however acutely
satisfying at the moment； are inserted into an environment which
refuses to bear them out for any length of time。 The consequence
of this discrepancy of the two criteria is the uncertainty which
still prevails over so many of our spiritual judgments。 There
are moments of sentimental and mystical experiencewe shall
hereafter hear much of themthat carry an enormous sense of
inner authority and illumination with them when they come。 But
they come seldom； and they do not come to everyone； and the rest
of life makes either no connection with them； or tends to
contradict them more than it confirms them。 Some persons follow
more the voice of the moment in these cases； some prefer to be
guided by the average results。 Hence the sad discordancy of so
many of the spiritual judgments of human beings； a discordancy
which will be brought home to us acutely enough before these
lectures end。
It is； however； a discordancy that can never be resolved by any
merely medical test。 A good example of the impossibility of
holding strictly to the medical tests is seen in the theory of
the pathological causation of genius promulgated by recent
authors。 〃Genius；〃 said Dr。 Moreau； 〃is but one of the many
branches of the neuropathic tree。〃 〃Genius；〃 says Dr。 Lombroso；
〃is a symptom of hereditary degeneration of the epileptoid
variety； and is allied to moral insanity。〃 〃Whenever a man's
life；〃 writes Mr。 Nisbet； 〃is at once sufficiently illustrious
and recorded with sufficient fullness to be a subject of
profitable study； he inevitably falls into the morbid category。 。
。 。 And it is worthy of remark that； as a rule； the greater the
genius； the greater the unsoundness。〃＇3＇
＇3＇ J。 F。 Nisbet： The Insanity of Genius； 3d ed。； London； 1893；
pp。 xvi。； xxiv。
Now do these authors； after having succeeded in establishing to
their own satisfaction that the works of genius are fruits of
disease； consistently proceed thereupon to impugn the VALUE of
the fruits？ Do they deduce a new spiritual judgment from their
new doctrine of existential conditions？ Do they frankly forbid us
to admire the productions of genius from now onwards？ and say
outright that no neuropath can ever be a revealer of new truth？
No！ their immediate spiritual instincts are too strong for them
here； and hold their own against inferences which； in mere love
of logical consistency； medical materialism ought to be only too
glad to draw。 One disciple of the school； indeed； has striven to
impugn the valu
