Symbolism, its meaning and effect : Barbour-Page lectures, University of Virginia, 1927

In these engaging lectures the speaker surveys the role of symbols from medieval cathedrals to modern algebra, showing how each era builds its own invisible scaffolding for thought. By tracing the shift from the richly emblematic Middle Ages to the Reformation’s push for plain perception, the talk invites listeners to wonder why some symbols endure while others fall away. The narrative balances historical anecdotes with clear philosophical questions, making abstract ideas feel surprisingly concrete.

The course then turns to language itself, treating words, sounds, and mathematical signs as living symbols that shape our experience of the world. Drawing on Locke, Kant, and Hume, it examines how we perceive causality, the limits of direct perception, and the ways symbols mediate understanding. Listeners are guided through a series of thought‑experiments that reveal how everyday symbols influence both our mental life and the scientific methods we trust.