The riddle of the universe is solved for Eucken through life and action.  While continual contemplation and thought is apt to paralyse us, “action is the best defensive weapon against the dangers and trials of human existence.”  “Doubt is not cured by meditation, but by action.”  He believes that we can attain certainty through action of much that cannot be justified on rational grounds.  If we wish to understand the vital truths of life we must concentrate our souls on a good purpose—­the activity that follows will bring its revelation.  The problems of life are solved by the life process itself.  By acting in a certain way, man comes into intimate relationship with the great reality of life, and then he comes to know, not so much about reality, as within reality.  The ant in whom such complex instincts are developed, knows probably nothing at all about its little world, but knows everything necessary within its little world.  It does not err, it does the right thing at the right time, and that because it is in tune with its universe, hence acts from pure instinct in the right way.  If intellect were to enter into the case, its actions might become less reliable, and it would blunder far oftener.  In the case of man, his thinking capacity often militates against successful instinctive and habitual actions—­the moment we start to consider, we hesitate and are lost.  In the same way, if the soul of man is brought into tune with the great reality, it has but to act, and though it may never know all about reality and be able to frame abstract theories of the universe, still it may know with or within reality, and be thus enabled to act in the best way under various circumstances.  This is the theory of activism; it lays great stress upon action, and upon intuition through action, and while it does not ignore the intellect, it holds that when the intellect fails there is a possibility of the practical problem of life being solved through a life of action, when life is directed towards the highest ideals.  The danger of an activistic position, of course, is to undervalue the reasoning powers of man.  Some critics hold that Eucken does this; the reader must judge for himself, but in doing so it will be well to remember that before trusting to intuitive revelation, Eucken demands the setting of one’s face towards the highest and best.

In the next chapter we can follow Eucken in his search for the great reality in life.

CHAPTER IV

THE PAST, PRESENT, AND THE ETERNAL

In investigating the problem of human life, Eucken lays great stress upon the history of man in past ages—­this is one of the special aspects of his philosophy.  The fact is, of course, not surprising; he who would explain the life of man would be unwise to ignore the records of the past life of the human race.  The thinker who examines the present only, is apt to be narrow in his ideas, to fail to look upon events in their proper perspective, and to be unduly affected by the spirit of the age in which he lives—­the student of history avoids these pitfalls.