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Speculative philosophers have long realized
that some philosophical questions cannot be given literal answers. Indeed, such
philosophers speculate because of this recognition. William James nicely
summarized the view that philosophers
adopt:
“The only material we have at our disposal
for making a picture of the whole world is supplied by the various portions of
that world of which we have already had experience. We can invent no new forms
of conception, applicable to the whole exclusively, and not suggested originally
by the parts. All philosophers, accordingly, have conceived of the whole world
after the analogy of some particular feature of it which has particularly
captivated their attention.”
Examples of such philosophical views readily
come to mind: Plato’s use of love as a metaphysical concept, Aristotle’s use of
desire, Plotinus’ use of the emanation of light from its source, Hegel’s use of
reason, Schopenhauer’s use of will, and Dewey’s use of experience. Each of these
views--and many more--interpret a mysterious world in terms of something
familiar.
Of course, this dependence upon analogical reasoning has caused many to criticize speculative philosophy as invalid. Locke’s sentiments are paradigmatic. Such critics, however, forget how greatly all thinking depends upon analogy, even though logicians of earlier times were well aware of this dependence.