Abstract

John Macmurray's philosophy provides an overcoming of unnecessary dualism between religion and science by proposing a philosophy of the person in which science and religion as reflection and as activates are distinguished yet united. This dissertation argues how Macmurray overcomes a double dualism of science and religion by a double sublation. By distinguishing science as the reflective activity of discovering the means of action and art as a reflective activity discovering the ends of action, both reflective activities are sublated by religion as a reflective activity which makes human community and the mutuality of affection possible. Science is sublated in action as the activity of the means of action; art in action as the ends of action is sublated by action for human community, namely religion as act. The necessary dualisms of science as reflective activity and in action remain as components within the sublations considered. Religion as reflection and act provides the key to understanding Macmurray's philosophy of the person. By proposing that knowledge is for action and action for friendship, this philosophy of religion re-links long separated aspects of thinking and acting in the making of community. A fuller sense of human address is proposed where intending in action the well being of the other is religion as the sublative integrator. Implications of Macmurray's proposal for the future of thought and action in the contemporary setting are cited.* ;*Originally published in DAI, Vol 61, No. 12. Reprinted here with corrected abstract