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Neoplatonists had a bad habit； which grew on them more and more as the
years rolled on； of mixing up philosophy with theology； and so defiling； or
at all events colouring； its pure transparency。 There is no denying the
imputation； as I shall show at greater length in my next Lecture。 But one
would have thought； looking back through history； that the Alexandrians
were not the only philosophers guilty of this shameful act of syncretism。
Plato； one would have thought； was as great a sinner as they。 So were the
Hindoos。 In spite of all their logical and metaphysical acuteness； they
were； you will find； unable to get rid of the notion that theological
inquiries concerning Brahma； Atma； Creeshna； were indissolubly mixed
up with that same logic and metaphysic。 The Parsees could not separate
questions about Ahriman and Ormuzd from Kant's three great philosophic
problems： What is Man？What may be known？What should be done？
Neither； indeed； could the earlier Greek sages。 Not one of them； of any
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school whatsoeverfrom the semi…mythic Seven Sages to Plato and
Aristotlebut finds it necessary to consider not in passing； but as the great
object of research； questions concerning the gods：… whether they are real
or not； one or many； personal or impersonal； cosmic； and parts of the
universe； or organisers and rulers of it； in relation to man； or without
relation to him。 Even in those who flatly deny the existence of the gods；
even in Lucretius himself； these questions have to be considered； before
the question； What is man？ can get any solution at all。 On the answer
given to them is found to depend intimately the answer to the question；
What is the immaterial part of man？ Is it a part of nature； or of
something above nature？ Has he an immaterial part at all？in one word；
Is a human metaphysic possible at all？ So it was with the Greek
philosophers of old； even； as Asclepius and Ammonius say； with Aristotle
himself。 〃The object of Aristotle's metaphysic；〃 one of them says； 〃is
theological。 Herein Aristotle theologises。〃 And there is no denying the
assertion。 We must not then be hard on the Neoplatonists； as if they were
the first to mix things separate from the foundation of the world。 I do not
say that theology and metaphysic are separate studies。 That is to be
ascertained only by seeing some one separate them。 And when I see
them separated； I shall believe them separable。 Only the separation must
not be produced by the simple expedient of denying the existence of either
one of them； or at least of ignoring the existence of one steadily during the
study of the other。 If they can be parted without injury to each other； let
them be parted； and till then let us suspend hard judgments on the
Alexandrian school of metaphysic； and also on the schools of that curious
people the Jews； who had at this period a steadily increasing influence on
the thought； as well as on the commercial prosperity； of Alexandria。
You must not suppose； in the meanwhile； that the philosophers whom
the Ptolemies collected （as they would have any other marketable article）
by liberal offers of pay and patronage； were such men as the old Seven
Sages of Greece； or as Socrates； Plato； and Aristotle。 In these three last
indeed； Greek thought reached not merely its greatest height； but the edge
of a precipice； down which it rolled headlong after their decease。 The
intellectual defects of the Greek mind； of which I have already spoken；
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were doubtless one great cause of this decay： but； to my mind； moral
causes had still more to do with it。 The more cultivated Greek states； to
judge from the writings of Plato； had not been an over… righteous people
during the generation in which he lived。 And in the generations which
followed； they became an altogether wicked people； immoral； unbelieving；
hating good； and delighting in all which was evil。 And it was in
consequence of these very sins of theirs； as I think； that the old Hellenic
race began to die out physically； and population throughout Greece to
decrease with frightful rapidity； after the time of the Achaean league。
The facts are well known； and foul enough they are。 When the Romans
destroyed Greece； God was just and merciful。 The eagles were gathered
together only because the carrion needed to be removed from the face of
God's earth。 And at the time of which I now speak； the signs of
approaching death were fearfully apparent。 Hapless and hopeless enough
were the clique of men out of whom the first two Ptolemies hoped to form
a school of philosophy； men certainly clever enough； and amusing withal；
who might give the kings of Egypt many a shrewd lesson in king…craft；
and the ways of this world； and the art of profiting by the folly of fools；
and the selfishness of the selfish； or who might amuse them； in default of
fighting…cocks； by puns and repartees； and battles of logic； 〃how one thing
cannot be predicated of another；〃 or 〃how the wise man is not only to
overcome every misfortune； but not even to feel it；〃 and other such mighty
questions； which in those days hid that deep unbelief in any truth
whatsoever which was spreading fast over the minds of men。 Such
word…splitters were Stilpo and Diodorus； the slayer and the slain。 They
were of the Megaran school； and were named Dialectics； and also； with
more truth； Eristics； or quarrellers。 Their clique had professed to follow
Zeno and Socrates in declaring the instability of sensible presumptions and
conclusions； in preaching an absolute and eternal Being。 But there was
this deep gulf between them and Socrates； that while Socrates professed to
be seeking for the Absolute and Eternal； for that which is； they were
content with affirming that it exists。 With him； as with the older sages；
philosophy was a search for truth。 With them it was a scheme of
doctrines to be defended。 And the dialectic on which they prided
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themselves so much； differed from his accordingly。 He used it
inductively； to seek out； under the notions and conceptions of the mind；
certain absolute truths and laws of which they were only the embodiment。
Words and thought were to him a field for careful and reverent induction；
as the phenomena of nature are to us the disciples of Bacon。 But with
these hapless Megarans； who thought that they had found that for which
Socrates professed only to seek dimly and afar off； and had got it safe in a
dogma； preserved as it were in spirits； and put by in a museum； the great
use of dialectic was to confute opponents。 Delight in their own subtlety
grew on them； the worship not of objective truth； but of the forms of the
intellect whereby it may be demonstrated； till they became the veriest
word…splitters； rivals of the old sophists whom their master had attacked；
and justified too often Aristophanes' calumny； which confounded Socrates
with his opponents； as a man whose aim was to make the worse appear the
better reason。
We have here； in both parties； all the marks of an age of exhaustion； of
scepticism； of despair about finding any real truth。 No wonder that they
were superseded by the Pyrrhonists； who doubted all things； and by the
Academy； which prided itself on setting up each thing to knock it down
again； and so by prudent and well…bred and tolerant qualifying of every
ass