ILLINOIS

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPA1GN

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UNIVERSITY CJi'*'8,	fy ^ 1

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Absolute Curriculum:

3fts lasts.

C. H Bowsber.

Cfwmpaisn, f fttnoi£:

1900,The work of the School is to deduce the absolute curriculum
and to acquaint man with it. The work of the Church is to per-
suade ?nan to heed it.

De&icateti to

that appearing- SOLIDARITY, that inspiring- and
progressive principle of the twentieth century, the
mutual interest and welfare of all mankind, the right-
ful manipulation of energy; to its greatest advocate
and protector, my beloved country, THE UNITED
STATES OF AMERICA, and to that strongest guar-
anty for the perpetuity of them both, our noble SYS-
TEM OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

Heaven is that place where energy is being perfectly manipu -
7-^d.PREFACE.

This pamphlet is an attempt to present the ground
plans of an absolute curriculum. The purport of the
curriculum of every educationist in the land is to pre-
sent that line of information which, by its use, the
learner may be enabled to more nearly coordinate with
the rest of mankind in the responsibilities of life.
And it would be well, if possible, to find a common
basis from which all curricula may be derived, and
thereby determined as to their comparatively funda-
mental or derivative relations in positive terms. Such
is believed to be possible, and the scheme for the con-
summation of which is hereby presented, with the
hope that what the reader may at first consider as an
apparent presumption will prove to be the embodiment
of truth.

Very respectfully,

C. A* Bowshkr.

Champaign, Illinois, 1900.

Copyrighted and Published
By the Author.

Printed and Bound by The Gazette.

V 4The Earth Represented in this figure is three times too large and ninety times too close.THE ABSOLUTE CURRICULUM

ITS BASIS

When a dweller on the broad plains of the Missis-
sippi Valley visits for the first time the mountains of
the west, say the vicinity of Denver, his sense of sig'ht
apparently becomes deranged. He experiences a con-
viction of failure in coordinating* with his environ-
ment. The perspective appears distorted, the units
of measurement become wonderfully magnified and
things are not what they seem. He is profoundly
impressed with a magnificent simplicity found every-
where in the most wonderful profusion and variety.
Scenes of grandeur combined in colossal and pictur-
esque proportions impress him with the truly awful
and sublime. In his singular confusion, a point of
view is intuitively soug*ht for from which he may
orient himself, rectify the units of measurements and
gauge the perspective. Accordingly, one finds him^
self nicely situated at the University of Denver, south-
east of the city and with face westward ho, makes a
first general survey. There limned ag*ainst the clear
blue of a western sky is perceived the front rank of
the serried hosts of the great continental divide. It
appears at first blush that some Titan had piled a
jag*ged and precipitous ridge before you. At the

56

southwest end, 75 miles distant, like a sentinel, stands
the prominence of Pike's Peak capped in white. At
equal distance to the northwest is Long's Peak simi-
larly imposing* and bedecked. Between them, arranged
in stately company front, are many valorous forms as
yet unnamed and unsung. On viewing this vast array
of grandeur mantled in the various shades of green of
mighty forests, the whole gamut of emotions is
thrumbed. On due experience, perhaps, you will feel
like the rough rider who, after scaling succeeding
heights through vistas of beauty indescribable, impul-
sively arose in his stirrups and with sombrero aloft,
shouted enthusiastically, 44Hurrah, hurrah for God!"

As it is in this little bit of objective reality, so it
is in the subjective realm. Man contemplates upon
the activities of his kind. From the even tenor of
his way he views the surging forces of the subjective
world. He compares them with the annals of the
past. After sieges of arduous toil he adjusts himself
to a rational perspective, constructs appropriate units
of measurement and orients himself from an univer-
sal point of view. He conceives of the doctrines of
Confucius and Mencius, of Brahman and Buddha, of
Moses and Jesus Christ, of Parmenides, Socrates,
Plato and Aristotle, of Caesar and Cicero, of Moham-
med, of Bacon, Descartes, Newton, Darwin, LeSage
and Clerk Maxwell. Through all these various doc-
trines, a simple truth appears in magnificent simplicity
in the most wonderful profusion and variety. As the
trained geologist views the great uplift and conceives7

it related to some basic substratum of which the
stately range is but a wrinkle and the higiiest peak
but a grain of sand, so the mind must view the great
uplift and trend of civilization from some basic and
simple impulse and motive of man and from which em-
anate the doctrines of these peaks of humanity. This
basic theme, this central idea for which all philosophy
has soug-ht, this psychological pole star and intellec-
tual compass by which the activities of man may be
coordinated and adjusted in their proper latitudes and
longitudes and from which man may inquire of his
destiny is a reality; a basic substratum. It is an ideal
that remains the same yesterday, today and forever.
Upon its basic principle rests the real of human rela-
tions today, our confidence in the future and all that
was g-ood and true in the past. It is the basis of an
absolute curriculum.

To attain the meaning- of this absolute curricu-
lum, we must subject our minds to the dictates of the
universal psychological law. This law is believed to
be as absolute for the activities of the mind as the
law of gravitation is for the factors of objective
reality, for the awful avalanche or the tiny capillaries
of the mountains returning* their waters to the mater-
nal flood. By it may any two minds be related in
positive terms. The law is as follows: Any two minds
may attain identical opinions concerning* the same
thing*, provided they speak the same lang*uag*e, use
the same terminology, employ the same units of meas-
urement for contrasting* conceptions, classify deduc-8

tions by the same system of coordination and have
the same point of view.

In attuning- our minds to these five requirements
of the law, let us satisfy the fourth first, the system
of coordination, since the first and second are reason-
ably well known. And, too, let us postulate that
anything whatever that may be thought upon be
termed a world relation; then all world relations may
be grossly classified into objective reality, subjective
reality and pure subjective.

Objective reality includes all terrestrial relations
independent of man.

Subjective reality includes all terrestrial relations
dependent on man.

Pure subjective includes those world relations not
wholly controlled by the universal psychological law.

What is objective reality? What are relations
independent of man? Imagine him stricken from the
face of the earth, what world relations would yet
remain? The fundamental, the absolute, the object-
ive and the eternal. Would the winds then blow, car-
rying with them the summer's showers and the win-
ter's snows? Would they still make devastation on
the plain or surge in mountain waves the surface of
the deep? Would the earth still turn and make its
annual tour, and all nature break in gladness under
the kisses of the sun? The absence of man would not
affect any of these. Now replace man, what would
happen? Everything pertaining to the home, the
vocation, the church, the state and the school will be9

derived. Such is the gross coordination of world rela-
tions. But a more discriminating- one, however, is
needed for our purpose. Let us converse with the
physicist as to the world relations he considers. What
is his unit of measurement? What is his limit? Ask
of the chemist his unit of measurement and limit.
Same of the biologist, the subjectivist, the geogra-
pher and the astronomer. The physicist begins with
the particle of ether as his unit of measurement; his
limit is the molecule. The chemist begins with the
molecule as an unit of measurement; his limit is the
cell. The biologist begins with the cell; his limit is
the man. The subjectivist begins with the man as
an unit of measurement; his limit is the earth. The
geographer begins with the earth as an unit of meas-
urement; his limit is the solar system. The astrono-
mer begins with the solar system as an unit of meas-
urement; his limit is the visible universe. Hence,
from the ether particle to the limits of the visible
universe, all world relations may be arranged in a
system of coordination of orders of notions in terms
of their units and limits.

This system of coordination of notions may be
expressed explicitly in mathematical language by
taking the geographical order of notions as a basis

A	A

and representing it by the symbol Let repre-
sent an infinitesimal relation or the unit of the sub-
jective order of notions. Then represents the unit
of the biological order of notions. By similar repre-10

sentation for the various units and limits of the dif-
ferent orders in terms of the geographical order ofi
notions, the following- formula expresses the concep-
tion of a summation of all possible world relations in
terms of their units and limits.

' 4+4+4+^-+^+^-+^ equal all possible
world relations. The same thing may be expressed in
popular language as follows: (Ether particle.... mole-
cule) + (molecule.... cell)+ (cell.... man) -f (man....
earth) + (earth.. . .solar system) -f (solar system.. ..
visible universe) equal all possible world relations.

Having substantiated the system of coordination
for all notions of things whatsoever, the next thing
in sequence to satisfy the law will be to establish the
appropriate point of view. This point of view must
be such that all the representative thinkers just cited
may be satisfied. It is believed that the point of view
of the subjectivist, the standpoint that man is the
unit for all considerations of terrestrial relations as
presented by philosophy of the historic past, is inade-
quate for present day requirements. The modern
geographer demands an enlarged conception of the
world. Man is too small an unit of measurement for
his consideration. Instead of the subjectivist supply-
ing the unit of measurement and the point of view,
the modern geographer henceforth will presume to
bear this responsibility.

The modern geographer views all terrestrial rela-
tions from the plane of the ecliptic. His unit of meas-11

urement is the earth, and his limit is the solar system.
Thus his mind, compared with that of the subjectivist,
is furnished with a psychological lever of prodigious
power. The unit of the geographer is the limit of
the subjectivist From the geographer's standpoint,
affairs of the terrestrial sphere can be conceived in
comparatively simple terms. From this point of viewr
the most essential thing for the phenomena of crea-
tion is easily perceived and the highest derivative of
terrestrial creation may be positively determined.
Hence, the mind may attain from this point of view a
rational perspective for all terrestrial relations; It
also may perceive a magnificent simplicity running
through all terrestrial affairs in the most wonderful
profusion and variety. Here is conceived the sub-
stratum from which arise the nations of the earth and
the high peaks of civilization. Here is conceived the
psychological pole star and compass for guiding all
humanity in fulfilling its function and working out
its destiny. The basic impulse and motive of all
mankind, from the dawn of reason to the present day,
and which will be the same throughout the life of the
habitable terrestrial sphere, is plainly manifest to the
modern geographer. He looks upon the little earth
from the plane of the ecliptic, from the twentieth
celestial hour, and perceives the thin column of energy
from the sun effecting the earth's surface in the daily
turn and annual tour in beautiful mathematical rela-
tions, concentric with the central ecliptic or direct
ray. He knows that if an object be interposed between12

these two spheres, that all things subjective would
fade from the face of the earth, and that nothing save
objective reality would remain. And, too, although
the absolute temperature of the earth's mass will not
have been materially affected, the engagement of
energy with matter, commonly termed life, would
cease By removing the object, again would energy
engage with the surface of the earth; again would
organisms appear and again from fundamental crea-
tion would there be evolved its highest derivative—
man. From these interactions of energy and matter
the modern geographer deduces this cosmic principle:
The function of every organism is to dissipate and
manipulate energy. This principle is the psycholog-
ical pole star and one more nearly eternal than is
Polaris as the earth's pole star in the astronomical
realm. For the former will be true for a thousand
billion eons hence, or more, while the latter in twelve
thousand years will have yielded its significance to
Vega. This cosmic principle is basic for every pos-
sible consideration of man on the terrestrial sphere,
and as for that matter, for every habitable globe in
the realm of world relations. From this principle
the most trivial activity of man is derived. Hence,
the statement that magnificent simplicity in the most
wonderful profusion and variety is a marked charac-
teristic in the subjective realm.

As energy becomes engaged with matter, organ-
isms termed vegetation appear. As these organisms
become more and more complex in the process of13

engaging- energy, some of them differentiate into
derivatives of higher forms which dissipate the energy
found in lower forms back to space. Hence, vegeta-
ble and animal forms differ solely in their mechanical
relations with energy. Organisms engaging energy
as a chief function are termed vegetable forms. Organ-
isms dissipating energy as a chief function are termed
animal forms. As animals become more adept in
dissipating energy, they become more powerful.
Hence, the highest derivative of terrestrial creation
is the most powerful dissipator* of energy. That is,
it causes the more energy to become dissipated back
to space. This highly derived organism, in common
parlance, is termed man. Causing energy to become
dissipated without having it pass through an organ-
ism is termed manipulating energy. Consequently it
is easy to distinguish between the human and the
brute. The brute is a dissipator, pure and simple.
It may be stronger than man but it is less powerful.
A higher evolution of any species whatever signifies
that it has acquired abilities for a more plentiful and
economical dissipation of energy. That color of the
skin of man is most highly prised whose possessors
manipulate the most energy the most economically.
It is this and nothing more. Hence, "the greatest
thing in this world is energy, and the greatest thing
man can do is to manipulate it"

Since the relations existing between the factors
of reality are'expressed by the mathematical form of
thought, and since the manipulation of energy is14

dependent on the knowledge of the properties and
relations of matter and motion, that people is superior
who is mathematical. The Occident are superior td
the orient, not in religion, morality or humanity pure
and simple, but in the fact that their fundamental
authority is the mathematical form of thought. They
follow unconsciously more nearly the requirements of
an absolute curriculum. They are adepts in geogra-
phy and mathematics. They study world relations,
interpret them with definite units of measurement and
coordinate their deductions from an absolute point of
view. Consequently, the function of every school
curriculum is properly to acquaint the mind with the
most general terrestrial world relations and to coordi-
nate it with them. This is the especial function of
the study of modern geography. Its sole purpose is
to present fundamental world relations and ther sim-
ple derivatives in such form that they may be con-
conceived as an entirety in a system of coordinated
principles. Its central theme is the most general con-
sideration of energy and gravitation in their relations
with matter of the terrestrial sphere and their myriads
of derivatives known as terrestrial creation. Hence
it is believed that the ground plans of an absolute
curriculum may be outlined as follows ;BASIS OF THE ABSOLUTE CURRICULUM.

PAST	GEOLOGY

GEOGRAPHY

__PRESENT__PHYSIOGRAPHY

LITHOSPHERE HYDROSPHERE ATMOSPHERE
ENERGY	GRAVITATION

______ ORGANISMS_

FUNDAMENTAL,	DERIVATIVE

Vegetable	Animal

Engagers of Energy from the sun	Dissipators of Energy back to space

BASIS OF ABSOLUTE VALUE	BRUTE	HUMAN

_Foot-tons of Energy	Dissipators of Energy	Manipulators of Energy

Wheat, Corn, Rice, Potato,	Horse, Ox, Camel, Hog,	VOCATION	HOME

Apple, Grape	Sheep, Fowl	Economist	Sociologist

Carbohydrates and Hydrocarbons
Coal, Bitumen, Petroleum, Gas

GENERAL REPRESENTATIVE OF ENERGY
Money

Absolute Standard and Unit of all Values
ONE FOOT-TON OF ENERGY

SCHOOL
Educationist

STATE
Politician

chtjrch

Theologian

INDUSTRIAL

SOCIAL

POLITICAL

Agriculture
Manufacture
Transportation
Exchange

Common
Corporate
Constitutional
International

Linguistics
Literature
History
Art

The highest Ideal and Aim of a true Civilization,
THE RIGHTFUL MANIPULATION OF ENERGY.16

Such is believed to be the simplest form of an ab-
solute curriculum. It presents a rational basis upon
which all educationists may stand to formulate their
curricula, however diverse may be their aims and far
apart they may be g-eographically. The same may be
said concerning- the politician, the theologian, the so-
ciologist and the economist. As it is today, the casual
observer of the larger units of the subjective realm
will discern that each of the above subjectivists in
g-overnments well established, prescribes unto himself
a curriculum of some form by which his course of
action may receive the sanction of his fellows. Since
there is no presciibed form from which each may start
in deriving* his particular curriculum, it is obvious
that out of the natural jealousies derivative from the
principle of self preservation, disagreements arise as
to fundamental and derivative considerations. And
since fundamental and derivatives in the subjective
order of notions are but relative terms, none of the
above subjectivists will hardly permit it to be consid-
ered that his curriculum is derivative from the funda-
mental doctrines of his compeers, any more than any
fing-er of the hand would present inferior claims for
importance. Consequently, it must be positively con-
ceived by each of them that if harmony be attained
and their efforts be coordinated for the benefit of man-
kind, their fundamental notions must be immediate
derivatives from the factors of that curriculum whose
central theme is the rightful manipulation of energy.
This is the only basic doctrine which will receive17

unanimous sanction. It is this which is universally
fundamental to man, and from which all other subjec-
tive notions are easily classed as derivatives. For,
" the cause that actuates man, that propelling* genius
which furnishes him with a motive, which compels
him to do, and has and ever will furnish him with
the impulse to progress in the world, is the central
factor of all subjective reality. Man, the highest de-
rivative of the objective world, is an index to its po-
tency. The cosmic principle,—the function of every
organism is to dissipate and manipulate energy,—is
the great central factor which one must perceive
should he conceive of a rational and a consistent view
of the subjective and the objective world."

The state of any civilization maybe rationally
conceived when it can be subjected to the absolute
curriculum for comparison. Every possible activity
of man may be expressed in rational terms by making
the manipulation of energy the common denominator.
Any race of man, however marked in color, in kink of
hair, in slant of eyes, or hook and bow of nose, may
be rated in intelligence and state of civilization by its
comparative capacities for the rightful manipulation
of energy.

Should the radiance of the sun discontinue its
course toward the earth and the whole surface be
wrapt in gloom and the presence of man become
unknown thereon, all subjective reality would cease
on the terrestrial sphere. And afterwards, should
Divine favor return to the earth, again would the18

seasons wax and wane, vegetable and animal forms
would appear and multiply and the human would
differentiate to fulfill more completely the command
of all commands and the law of all laws relating* man
to the world—energy shall be dissipated from the
earth. And when again would man conceive of the
cosmic principle and its dictates, and deduce the same
absolute curriculum.

The coming* century thus may have its line of
procedure clearly delineated. The psychological pole
star has been located, the intellectual compass has
been devised, the prime meridian and base line to
man's activities are being established and recorded in
the new Book of Humanity, the surface of the earth
is about staked and claimed and it remains for the
immediate future to begin the solution of the most
interesting of all problems relating to the future wel-
fare of civilized man. In so far as annals reveal the
past, no civilization has attained the art of manipu-
lating energy comparable with that now exhibited by
that most progressive and powerful nation of the
western world. Its genius as revealed in its basic
doctrines of government, its written constitution and
its federated autonomies, illumines the political realm
today with its principles of representative authority
and exhibits the nearest approach to a true civiliza-
tion yet recorded on the pages of history. It is the
prototype of that appearing solidarity, the coming
federation of the world.19

In the differentiation of the human from the
brute, man has been enabled to determine right from
wrong- in positive terms. Out of man's efforts in de-
termining- what is rig-ht in the manipulation of energy,
have arisen those subjective relations known as home,
church, state, school and vocation.

The home is the most economical instrument of a
civilized society for rearing- manipulators of energy.

The church is an indication that manipulators of
energy recognize a common brotherhood of all man-
kind and a Creator as a Fatherhood of all.

The state is an instrument inclusive of a division
of labor by which the most energy may be manipu-
lated by the g-overned the most economically.

The school is the instrument of organized society
for preparing successful manipulators of energy.

The vocation is the manner in which one may
choose to manipulate energy.

Happiness is that state of man when in a position
and condition to manipulate energy rightfully and
economically.

Justice is that arrangement in the manipulation
of energy such that the demands of the sociologist,
the economist, the statesman, the theologian and the
educationist are satisfied. Thus it is believed that
every consideration in subjective reality may be ration-
ally coordinated by taking the absolute curriculum as
a basis.20

STATE

CHURCH

HOME	VOCATION

LES CINQES MAGNIFIQUES.

From the diagram, the following* formulae
are deduced, illustrating the different possible forms
of society into which mankind will be arranged in
their advancement from savagery to civilization. The
perfect formula is believed to be represented by les
cinqs magnifiques. All possible undeveloped and the-
oretical civilizations may be represented in terms of
of the diagram by HCSSc, HCSV, HSScV, VCSSc,—
HCV, HSV> HScV, VCS, VCSc,—HC, HS, HSc, HV,
VC, VS, VSc, CS, CSc, SSc. A true civilization is
represented by HCSScV. Plato's republic is repre-
sented by VCSSc.

That no form of government at the present time
is found to be perfectly represented in the perfected
formula is because the function of the vocation with
its limits, rights and demands is not definitely deter-21

mined. This is the meaning of all industrial strife of
the world. The church, the home, the state and the
school are reasonably well understood by the normal
mind, but the rights and demands of the vocation as
one of the basic factors of civilization, as yet, have no
positive determination. This is the especial and pe-
culiar problem which the work of ages has brought to
the twentieth century for solution. " And future his-
torians will have well recorded when they say that
man was led out of the darkness of industrial strife of
the nineteenth century by acquainting himself with
the doctrines for the rightful manipulation of energy,
the mandates of the cosmic principle. The doctrine
of lyddite shells and dumdum bullets for the welfare
of mankind will then have done."

If previous considerations be true, the mind of
man may form conceptions from an absolute basis con-
cerning its world relations, and the meaning of pro-
gress of civilization, and be furnished with a scheme
for their positive and harmonious adjustment by means
of the absolute curriculum. And it is believed that
the time will come when every subjectivist will
direct his course of action by its precepts, and be in-
spirited by its highest principle,—the basis of a true
philosophy, the spirit of a true religion, — THE
RIGHTFUL MANIPULATION OF ENERGY.This book is a preservation facsimile produced for
the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
It is made in compliance with copyright law
and produced on acid-free archival

60# book weight paper
which meets the requirements of
ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992 (permanence of paper).

Preservation facsimile printing and binding
by

Northern Micrographics
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2014