Philosophical and Literary Essays, 1. köideT. Cadell, London, and W. Creech, Edinburgh., 1792 - 704 pages |
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Page xiv
... false ; or as the fyftem of one would be , who fhould hold that all animals are hatched from eggs , as birds are ; or that every substance in nature is produced by generation , and has a father and a mo- ther , as the more perfect ...
... false ; or as the fyftem of one would be , who fhould hold that all animals are hatched from eggs , as birds are ; or that every substance in nature is produced by generation , and has a father and a mo- ther , as the more perfect ...
Page xix
... false definitions have been given , I think it a most important and interesting inquiry . It is by no means neceffary to examine minutely the various fpeculations and de- finitions of different philofophers about it ; for that would be ...
... false definitions have been given , I think it a most important and interesting inquiry . It is by no means neceffary to examine minutely the various fpeculations and de- finitions of different philofophers about it ; for that would be ...
Page xxxi
... false inference of our reafon carelessly employ- ed , more than from any fallacy in our o- ther faculties ; as for example , the com- mon notions of the flatnefs and stability of the earth , and of the diurnal motion of the fun and of ...
... false inference of our reafon carelessly employ- ed , more than from any fallacy in our o- ther faculties ; as for example , the com- mon notions of the flatnefs and stability of the earth , and of the diurnal motion of the fun and of ...
Page xliv
... false reason- ing , depending on the ambiguity of any word or phrafe , of which there have been many with respect to the philofophy of causes , fome of them so extravagant as to appear abfurd and ridiculous , may fairly be regarded as ...
... false reason- ing , depending on the ambiguity of any word or phrafe , of which there have been many with respect to the philofophy of causes , fome of them so extravagant as to appear abfurd and ridiculous , may fairly be regarded as ...
Page xlvii
... false . What SOCRATES did in Ethics may be done by the fame means in every branch of Metaphyfics ; in the history of our va- rious faculties of perception , memory , i- magination , abstraction , judgement , & c .; and in logic ...
... false . What SOCRATES did in Ethics may be done by the fame means in every branch of Metaphyfics ; in the history of our va- rious faculties of perception , memory , i- magination , abstraction , judgement , & c .; and in logic ...
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Common terms and phrases
abfolutely abfurd admit afferted almoſt ambiguous appear ARISTOTLE axioms becauſe cafe caſes caufe and effect cauſe circumſtances conceive conclufion confequence confidered confiftent conſciouſneſs correfponding courſe demonftration diſcoveries doctrine of Neceffity DR PRIESTLY eaſily Effay employed eſtabliſhed exiſtence expreffed expreffions falfe falſe fcience feems fenfe ferent fhall fhew fhould firſt fome ftill fubject fuch fufficient fuppofed fuppofition fure fyftem himſelf human thought HUME IDOLA FORI illuftration imperfect impoffible inferences inftances inveſtigation itſelf judgement juft juſt kinds of caufes knowledge language leaſt lefs mala fides mankind means meaſure metaphyfical Metaphyficians moft moſt motive and action muſt nature neceffary neral notions obfervations objects occafion opinion oppofite perceive perfon phænomena philofo philofophers phyfical caufes poffible precifely principle propofition purpoſe queſtion reaſoning refpect refult relation of motive ſhall ſpeak ſtate ſtrict ſuch thefe themſelves ther theſe things thofe thoſe tion truth underſtand underſtood uſe whofe words
Popular passages
Page cciv - Warms in the sun, refreshes in the breeze, Glows in the stars, and blossoms in the trees : Lives through all life, extends through all extent, Spreads undivided, operates unspent...
Page 66 - ... physical necessity. The same experienced union has the same effect on the mind, whether the united objects be motives, volition, and actions; or figure and motion. We may change the names of things; but their nature and their operation on the understanding never change.
Page 67 - In short, this experimental inference and reasoning concerning the .actions of others enters so much into human life, that no man, while awake, is ever a moment without employing it. Have we not reason, therefore, to affirm that all mankind have always agreed in the doctrine of necessity, according to the foregoing definition and explication of it ? Nor have philosophers ever entertained a different opinion from the people in this particular.
Page 99 - That properly is quantity which is measured by its own kind ; or which of its own nature is capable of being doubled or tripled, without taking in any quantity of a different kind as a measure of it. Improper quantity is that which cannot be...
Page 19 - ... the contrary opinion. The matter, I think, may be accounted for after the following manner. If we examine the operations of body, and the production of effects from their causes, we shall find, that all our. faculties can never carry us farther in our knowledge of this relation, than barely to observe, that particular objects are constantly conjoined together, and that the mind is carried, by a customary transition, from the appearance of one to the belief of the other. But though this...
Page 65 - A prisoner who has neither money nor interest, discovers the impossibility of his escape, as well when he considers the obstinacy of the gaoler, as the walls and bars with which he is surrounded; and, in all attempts for his freedom, chooses rather to work upon the stone and iron of the one, than upon the inflexible nature of the other.
Page 19 - When again they turn their reflections towards the operations of their own minds, and feel no such connexion of the motive and the action ; they are thence apt to suppose, that there is a difference between the effects which result from material force, and those which arise from thought and intelligence.
Page 64 - And with what pretence could we employ our criticism upon any poet or polite author, if we could not pronounce the conduct and sentiments of his actors either natural or unnatural to such characters, and in such circumstances?
Page ccix - It is to this day problematical, whether all the phenomena of the material system be produced by the immediate operation of the First Cause, according to the laws 'which his wisdom determined, or whether subordinate causes are employed by him in the operations of nature ; and, if they be, what their nature, their number, and their different offices...
Page 64 - Where would be the foundation of morals, if particular characters had no certain or determinate power to produce particular sentiments, and if these sentiments had no constant operation on actions...