Matthew Walker RobiesonSource: International Journal of Ethics, Vol. 30, No. 3 (Apr., 1920), pp. 336-337Published by: The University of Chicago PressStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2377669 .

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336 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ETHICS.

MATTHEW WALKER ROBIESON

Readers of this JOURNAL will be able in some measure to appreciate the loss to ethical thinking and to philosophy in the sudden and early death, on July 16th, of Matthew Walker Robieson. For almost six years he had taught moral philosophy and history of philosophy in the Queen's Univer- sity of Belfast, having previously shown eminent distinction as student and then junior teacher of philosophy at Glasgow. Colleagues and pupils have attested the attractiveness of his teaching and the value of his administrative work. His personal example is one that went to show that while universality of interest may not be for the moment a predominant feature of the work of philosophers, the tradition is still one that can be maintained without detriment to thoroughness and real knowledge. What he had published was principally in the region of social and political theory. It was his conviction that it is knowledge above all that is requi- site in the current treatment of social questions, whether of class or of sex, but he further realized that knowledge in these matters has still to be well-founded through those methods of discussion of first principles and examination of assumptions which are characteristic of philosophy. This point of view is well shown in his more systematic published work: the articles "German Socialist Theory and War" (Hibbert Journal, 1915) and "The Theory of Morals on a Class Basis'" (this JOURNAL, April, 1919). Like many young students he had been attracted by, and had later reacted upon, the current political propaganda of socialism, but reaction in his case took the form of recognizing that here was an ultimate conflict of social theories, with definite philosophical affiliations, and calling for that philosophical discussion and genuine scholarship which he was so well able to provide by a powerful memory, acuteness of intellect and a ma- turity of performance which was noticeable in his earliest work. So it is that that in these writings there is to be found, practically for the first time in Britain, a discussion of socialist theory which can be compared with those of Sorel, Croce, Labriola or Sombart. Recognising in the contemporary advocacy of the scheme of National Guilds some definite apprehension of the problems in which he was interested, he contributed largely, from the same theoretical point of view, to the more thorough discussion of the subject in the "New Age." There also he dealt with the recent developments of psycho-therapy in their ethical and educational bearings.

He took a large share in the establishment and administration of the School of Social Study in Belfast, as in the activities of the Workers'

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MATTHEW WALKER ROBIESON. 337

Educational Association and kindred organisation, and was the joint- author of a scheme for the systematic training of teachers in the province of his University, which is inspired by those ideas of social structure he had helped to work out. And it was acknowledged by Irishmen that his appreciation of the Irish point of view was, for a stranger, well-nigh unique.

At the time of his death he was engaged on a more comprehensive philosophical work on the development of socialist theory, of which it is hoped that some portion, at least, may be published with other writings.

W. A.

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