Macmurray considered all three categories to be interwoven and
interdependent, but placed religion at the very centre. "Religion, in the sense in which it deserves consideration, is one of the three general expressions of rationality. The other two are art and
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science." The central position of religion is underlined when speaking of all three general expressions of rationality. Macmurray asserted that: "of the three religion is the basic expression and the most comprehensive. The others are*more abstract and in a special sense included within religion.
t 1. RAS and SEE
2. Hoffman, J.C. "Religion and Religious Experience in the Thought of John Macmurray: A Critique" Studies in
Relieion/Scienoes Religieues. p.2 3. RBp.195
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In the early work (Oie Structure of Religious Experience Macmurray pointed out that there are three attitudes that are
empirical in character. These are artistic empiricism, scientific empiricism and religious empiricism; the first two of which are
"partial empiricisms",^ since both of these areas presuppose but cannot deal with the group of facts which concern the mutual relation ship which is at the centre of the religious field. ^ Macmurray
asseverated that: "religious empiricism provides the synthesis of
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■üie opposite and partial attitudes of art and science..."
Macmurray saw the synthesis of religion not to be only central but necessary. Religion is necessary since the two partial empirical modes art and science are in opposition which causes not only
confusion but polarisation. "Cut loose from their unity in religion the two partial empiricisne (art and science) oppose one another and produce an antagonism in the field of social activity which is des-
0
tractive of order, freedom and progress." This theme of opposition and synthesis reappears in one of Macmurray* s last works Persons in Relation, which underlines the continuing and central interpretation of religion in terms of the opposition of art and science and the synthetic character of religion. "Religion, we might say, intends the synthesis of art and science; art and science each intend them-
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selves and exclude one another."
5. SHE p.13
6. SRE p.15 7. SRE p.14
8. SRE p.14 9. PRJ p.176
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Another significant insight has to do with the common ground of the three modes of reflection or attitudes. Macmurray realised that the whole field of experience encompasses the total accumula tion of data within which science, art and religion have their beginnings. Each of these fields deals with the common set of
experience differently because of a difference in attitude as well as a difference in direction. Vhen seen in terms of attitude "the religious man comes to worship, the artist to admire, the scientist to observe".Macmurray declared that: "They all come to the same
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world of common fact. " This fact underlines not only the common aspects of all experiences, but the single centre of these fields of reflection. "The same person may be at once religious, artistic, and scientific. The three attitudes of mind which we have distin-
12
guished can alternate in one and the same mind. " However, there are within the general area of experience three separate attitudes each of which concentrates upon a certain group of facts. Macmurray pragmatically acknowledged that: "we find in practice there are
three fields which overlap to a considerable extent but which have distinct centres. It is as if the same field of general experience became organised in three different ways around three different
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centres of interest."
For Macmurray the three general fields or modes of thinking are intimately connected. They share the common ground of experience as well as the same mind. However, these are three distinct areas that
10. SRE p. 21 11. SRE p. 22 12. SRE pp. 22-23
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centre upon three different loci* These three attitudes do interact and support each other, hut the mode of religious reflection or attitude is the central synthesising mode.
In order to more fully understand what is meant by the three modes of reflection it will be necessary to investigate all three modes separately. However, the purpose and centre of such an
investigation;, is, as Macmurray pointed out, a comprehensive under standing of religion and its connection with other ways of thinking.
"The treatment of art and science will, of course, be designed to throw light upon the character of religion. Macmurray distin guished between the two separate modes or attitudes apart from the one that he labelled the religious mode- Macmurray characterised these two modes of reflection in many different ways. The most common labels applied to the scientific attitude are practical, pragmatic or mechanical. The second mode is commonly labelled as
contemplative, organic, or aesthetic. Macmurray did not stress any particular name, since he pointed out that they are simply terms
"to call attention to the fact that they are the two attitudes which define the field of science and the field of art respectively by the
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