My first impulse in the presence of a dogma, whether it be political,
moral, or religious, is to cast about for the best way to masticate,
digest, and dispose of it.
The peril in an inordinate appetite for dogma lies in the probability of
making too severe a drain upon the gastric juices, and so becoming
dyspeptic for the rest of one's life.
In this respect, my inclination exceeds my prudence. I have an incurable
dogmatophagy.
Ignoramus, Ignorabimus
Such are the words of the psychologist, DuBois-Reymond, in one of his
well-known lectures. The agnostic attitude is the most seemly that it is
possible to take. Nowadays, not only have all religious ideas been
upset, but so too has everything which until now appeared most solid,
most indivisible. Who has faith any longer in the atom? Who believes in
the soul as a monad? Who believes in the objective validity of the
senses?
The atom, unity of the spirit and of consciousness, the validity of
perception, all these are under suspicion today. _Ignoramus,
ignorabimus_.
NEVERTHELESS, WE CALL OURSELVES MATERIALISTS
Nevertheless, we call ourselves materialists. Yes; not because we
believe that matter exists as we see it, but because in this way we may
contradict the vain imaginings and all those sacred mysteries which
begin so modestly, and always end by extracting the money from our
pockets.
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