Plymouth State University - Conning Tower Yearbook (Plymouth, NH)

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Harry Preble Swett

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French Room Reading Room

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The Conning Tower of 19 3 3 To the Graduates of the Four Year History Curriculum Our people have conquered a continent—the picturesque frontiers are no more; physicists by disconvcrting electrons, protons, and quanta have given us knowledge of the unimaginably small; by discovering the cosmic rays and thousands of galaxies they have turned out thoughts to the unimaginably large. Still the world is unhappy. There is an intellectual lag that disturbs our culture and needs removal. There is doubt as to the underlying principles of our civilization. Many have been experiencing disillusionment. But, as always happens in history, disillusionment itself is becoming disillusioned. There is need of greater assurance in a philosophy that will satisfactorily support our civilization. There are two possible philosophies; the numerous types are forms of one or the other, or combinations of the two. The universe is fundamentally materialistic or spiritualistic. That is, the universe is of the nature of matter, and human interests are transitory accidents; or, it is of the nature of our minds, and human interests touch the heart of the world. These remarks are not academic. Those who are attempting to direct the destinies of the millions of souls in Russia are applying in their atheism the materialistic philosophy. This earthly life for each one is all and all. Our own culture cherishes as of inestimable worth, individuality, religion, education, democracy. But we waver in our beliefs. We should have a more vigorous conviction that these concepts of individuality, religion, and democracy are true insights into the ultimate nature of reality. If we do not hold such convictions, we are in fact like the Russian leaders but, intellectually and morally, more cowardly. In more technical language, human interests, beliefs, and convictions are termed values. The problem is whether human values are merely temporal or have eternal significance. Of the two possible philosophies the one I am urging is summed up in this sentence: Human values have cosmic value. Enlightenment for this problem is now sought through numerous schools of thought as through naturalism, organism, instrumentalism, dualism, realism, intuitionism, pragmatism, mysticism, and idealism. The best way to acquire a fixed and confident conviction of the truth of this cosmic philosophy is to apply in the daily life of thought and action the comprehensive values of goodness, truth, and beauty. H. P. Swett [31]