Except, then, on the premise that the subject-matter of philosophy is fixed properties of antecedent Being, the fact that it is an intellectual pursuit signifies nothing beyond the fact that those who engage in it should respect the canons of fairness, impartiality, of internal consistency and external evi- dence. It carries no implication with it except on the basis of aprior assumption save that of intellectual honesty. Only upon the obverse of the adage that whoso drives fat oxen must himself be fat, can it be urged that logical austerity of personal attitude and procedure demands that the subject-matter dealt with must be made lean by stripping it of all that is human concern. To say that the object of philosophy is truth is to make amoral statement which applies to every inquiry. It implies nothing as to the kind of truth which is to be as- certained, whether it be of apurely theoretical nature, of a practical character, or whether it concerns the bearing of one upon the other. To assert that contemplation of truth for its own sake is the highest ideal is to make ajudgment concerning authoritative value. To employ this judgment as ameans of determining the office of philosophy is to violate the canon that inquiry should follow the lead of subject-matter.