5

in their practical relevance. Still the burden of proof
ceases to be when the side of Common Sense when
it is shown to be contradictory or absurd. Now the whole
developement of modern philosophy consists in showing that
In general, it will lie with a metaphysical theory. But common
sense is itself a [co???????] metaphysical theories. And moreover
the history of modern philosohpy may be stated in epitome as
the awakening of the mind to the unsatisfactoriness of that
theory that man feels. It cannot indeed by denied that
there is some truth in this; at any rate it is a hypothesis
which accounts very prettily with many facts. In particular
it accounts for the partial or only partial confirmation which
opinions receive from intercourse with the opinions of
others. How natural it is to infer from this that they are
our opinions and so to get an idea that we are and that because
we think. Perhaps we cannot even yet devise any more
satisfactory explanation of this fact. But the theory puts
an I or a not-I over against each other in absolute opposition
or yet so that one determines the other. This being done, the simple
process[?], it will be admitted is that these Now immediately
when this Scepticism arises as to the validity of this