[Wifree-developers] Pare us to appreciate justly the value of former and con

[Lebeau <her...@co...>]

 the laws of mathematics, comes in to dissipate error and delusion. Why
is this? Anthropology replies that reason is as positive, clear, and
imperative as mathematical principles, but that men have not been
educated to exercise and to obey the faculty of reason, as they have
been to measure and to count. In matters of opinion, feeling and impulse
are allowed to dominate over reason, and to hug the delusions which
reason would dispel. We have _no educational system_, no college, in
which the art of reasoning is properly taught, although the shallow
pedantry of Aristotelian logic has assumed to teach the art of
reasoning. The faculties themselves of our colleges do not understand or
practice the true art of reasoning, for if they did, they would
harmonize in opinion as mathematicians harmonize in calculations, and
would lead the onward march of mind continually, making or accepting
discoveries of the highest importance, instead of standing, as they do,
impregnable castles of ancient error in matters of opinion, though
moderately progressive in physical science. It is for these reasons that
popular opinions and opinions of universities are of little value.
Everything else but reason dominates them. The gift of a founder, the
decree of a king, parliament, or pope,