GUIDE TO THE PHILOSOPHY 1938 - 1947.pdf - Rare Books at ...

6l6 ETHICS AND POLITICS: THE MODERNS
ing of Fascism. We must see it in action, if only because we
cannot read it in books.
Fascist Attitude to Truth. This reliance upon the
instinctive and the irrational, this distrust of the operations
of the intellect, whose methods are conditioned by the
postulate that truth exists and is discoverable, are character-
istic of all forms of fascist doctrine. It is not so much that
the fascist disowns the activities of the intellect; lie is,
indeed, perfectly prepared to make use of them; but he
will use them as instruments of propaganda, in order
that by the creation ofopinion he may further his purposes,
rather than as guides to the nature of objecth^ fact.
Thus Hitler announces in his book Mein Kampf that it is
the duty of Germans "not to seek out objective truth, in
so far as it may be favourable to others, but uninterruptedly
to serve one's own truth." On a subsequent occasion, when
that "the
putting forward the Nazi program, he explained,
National State will look upon science as a means for
increasing national pride. Not only world-history, but
also the history of civilization must be taught from this
point of view". In the same vein are the declaration contained
to a decree of the Prussian government expounding
the Nazi conception ofeducation to the effect that "National
Socialism consciously turns away from education that has
knowledge as its last end"; the recommendation to
educationalists made by Dr. Prick, German Minister of the
Interior, "to produce the man political who in all his
thoughts and actions is rooted in his nation and inseparably
attached to its history and faith. Objective truth is second-
ary, and not always to be desired"; and the injunction
to teachers of HOT Rust, Minister of Education, "that
they give to their pupils the fundamental principles Of the
philosophy
and the idea of National Socialism. . . . Not to
remain neutral and objective in the school, not to make
the child into a cold observer, but to awaken in him
enthusiasm and passion. It is a question of eternal and
divine values and not one of cold reality." In so far as the