"This book is an essay in the interests of some of the most profound and difficult of the problems which can engage the reflective thinking of man. It would scarcely be an exaggeration to say that the nature, limits, and guaranty of knowledge afford subjects of inquiry which exceed all others in the demand they make for deep and earnest reflection. If one were at liberty to construct a theory of reality which should be simply a logically consistent and symmetrical affair, satisfactory to the ideals of the architect but without regard to foundations of fact or questions of the right to occupy the ground in this way, the task would seem comparatively light. But in this day, and in the face of history, such a liberty cannot be intelligently claimed; much less can it be successfully exercised. Facts must be considered, and questions of right cannot be thrust aside or overlooked. For the former part of one's philosophical basis, the particular sciences are now responsible; for the latter part--the search after guide and guaranty--a particular form of philosophical discipline, sometimes called epistemology, is invoked. It is this form of philosophy which this book undertakes"--Preface. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved).

Also issued in print.

Electronic reproduction. Washington, D.C. : American Psychological Association, 2011. Available via World Wide Web. Access limited by licensing agreement. s2011 dcunns