Excerpt from Problems of Philosophy: Or Principles of Epistemology and Metaphysics
If the statement be rightly qualified it may not be too much to say that, in this work, I have tried to reproduce the results of my own reflections on philosophic problems. I do not mean by this that it is in any sense a pioneer work, because it is quite the contrary. If I have accomplished anything at all in the effort it is the result of contact with the great historical systems, as all rational philosophizing must be in modern times. If I were to name the men who have influenced my thought most, according to my own judgment, they would be Plato, Aristotle and Epicurus among the ancients, and Kant, Hamilton and Lotze among the moderns. Just what and how much is owing them must be determined by the reader. None of the debt, however, is systematic. It is only for the conception of philosophic problems and general ideas which are necessary for the interpretation of the past and development of present questions. I have avoided reference to historical systems except to show how a problem originated and have endeavored to discuss present philosophic issues with less reference to their evolution than to their functions and validity. I adopted this policy because I did not wish to implicate myself too closely with either the exposition or the criticism of historical views. This does not make what I have said new, but it does require it to be judged rather on its merits or demerits than on any avowed relation to traditional systems.
I have also been convinced that it is the duty of philosophers to discuss their problems directly and not merely the history and evolution of systems. These latter questions are important and indispensable, but they are not the only proper work of the man who expects to make philosophy do its designated service to the age. Moreover to do this service it must discuss the time-old problems, whether it succeeds in providing a positive or a negative message for mankind, and hence I have confined myself to the general problems that are as old as Plato, trying, however, to avail myself of all the results since his day and to bring philosophic reflection back to that point of view which represents or includes the physical sciences as well as the mental. Idealism has done so much to emphasize introspective and anthropocentric methods that, since Kant, it is almost impossible to induce philosophers to make any concessions to physical science and its results.
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