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The basis of modern idealism is Kant's doctrine of the
Transcendental Ego of Apperception。 By this formidable term Kant
merely meant the fact that the consciousness 〃I think them〃 must
（potentially or actually） accompany all our objects。 Former
skeptics had said as much； but the 〃I〃 in question had remained
for them identified with the personal individual。 Kant
abstracted and depersonalized it； and made it the most universal
of all his categories； although for Kant himself the
Transcendental Ego had no theological implications。
It was reserved for his successors to convert Kant's notion of
Bewusstsein uberhaupt； or abstract consciousness； into an
infinite concrete self…consciousness which is the soul of the
world； and in which our sundry personal self…consciousnesses
have their being。 It would lead me into technicalities to show
you even briefly how this transformation was in point of fact
effected。 Suffice it to say that in the Hegelian school； which
to…day so deeply influences both British and American thinking；
two principles have borne the brunt of the operation。
The first of these principles is that the old logic of identity
never gives us more than a post…mortem dissection of disjecta
membra； and that the fullness of life can be construed to thought
only by recognizing that every object which our thought may
propose to itself involves the notion of some other object which
seems at first to negate the first one。
The second principle is that to be conscious of a negation is
already virtually to be beyond it。 The mere asking of a question
or expression of a dissatisfaction proves that the answer or the
satisfaction is already imminent； the finite； realized as such；
is already the infinite in posse。
Applying these principles； we seem to get a propulsive force into
our logic which the ordinary logic of a bare； stark self…identity
in each thing never attains to。 The objects of our thought now
ACT within our thought； act as objects act when given in
experience。 They change and develop。 They introduce something
other than themselves along with them； and this other； at first
only ideal or potential； presently proves itself also to be
actual。 It supersedes the thing at first supposed； and both
verifies and corrects it； in developing the fullness of its
meaning。
The program is excellent； the universe IS a place where things
are followed by other things that both correct and fulfill them；
and a logic which gave us something like this movement of fact
would express truth far better than the traditional school…logic；
which never gets of its own accord from anything to anything
else； and registers only predictions and subsumptions； or static
resemblances and differences。 Nothing could be more unlike the
methods of dogmatic theology than those of this new logic。 Let
me quote in illustration some passages from the Scottish
transcendentalist whom I have already named。
〃How are we to conceive；〃 Principal Caird writes； 〃of the reality
in which all intelligence rests？〃 He replies： 〃Two things may
without difficulty be proved； viz。； that this reality is an
absolute Spirit； and conversely that it is only in communion with
this absolute Spirit or Intelligence that the finite Spirit can
realize itself。 It is absolute； for the faintest movement of
human intelligence would be arrested； if it did not presuppose
the absolute reality of intelligence； of thought itself。 Doubt
or denial themselves presuppose and indirectly affirm it。 When I
pronounce anything to be true； I pronounce it； indeed； to be
relative to thought； but not to be relative to my thought； or to
the thought of any other individual mind。 From the existence of
all individual minds as such I can abstract； I can think them
away。 But that which I cannot think away is thought or
self…consciousness itself； in its independence and absoluteness；
or； in other words； an Absolute Thought or Self…Consciousness。〃
Here； you see； Principal Caird makes the transition which Kant
did not make： he converts the omnipresence of consciousness in
general as a condition of 〃truth〃 being anywhere possible； into
an omnipresent universal consciousness； which he identifies with
God in his concreteness。 He next proceeds to use the principle
that to acknowledge your limits is in essence to be beyond them；
and makes the transition to the religious experience of
individuals in the following words：
〃If ＇Man＇ were only a creature of transient sensations and
impulses； of an ever coming and going succession of intuitions；
fancies； feelings； then nothing could ever have for him the
character of objective truth or reality。 But it is the
prerogative of man's spiritual nature that he can yield himself
up to a thought and will that are infinitely larger than his own。
As a thinking self…conscious being； indeed； he may be said； by
his very nature； to live in the atmosphere of the Universal Life。
As a thinking being； it is possible for me to suppress and quell
in my consciousness every movement of self…assertion； every
notion and opinion that is merely mine； every desire that belongs
to me as this particular Self； and to become the pure medium of a
thought that is universalin one word； to live no more my own
life； but let my consciousness be possessed and suffused by the
Infinite and Eternal life of spirit。 And yet it is just in this
renunciation of self that I truly gain myself； or realize the
highest possibilities of my own nature。 For whilst in one sense
we give up self to live the universal and absolute life of
reason； yet that to which we thus surrender ourselves is in
reality our truer self。 The life of absolute reason is not a
life that is foreign to us。〃
Nevertheless； Principal Caird goes on to say； so far as we are
able outwardly to realize this doctrine； the balm it offers
remains incomplete。 Whatever we may be in posse； the very best
of us in actu falls very short of being absolutely divine。 Social
morality； love； and self…sacrifice even； merge our Self only in
some other finite self or selves。 They do not quite identify it
with the Infinite。 Man's ideal destiny； infinite in abstract
logic； might thus seem in practice forever unrealizable。
〃Is there； then；〃 our author continues； 〃no solution of the
contradiction between the ideal and the actual？ We answer； There
is such a solution； but in order to reach it we are carried
beyond the sphere of morality into that of religion。