ce rs fo PS . < c: by A a ro fh. ge A CAROLO DARWIN + FRA f ore OTs i 2@e °@e eee < ope Mae Nabe clase cnr: fee see eae ' 3 & Ses waste Pater Aen OR ESE WS ee: * ins : VA fs ees ; y te at “ “382 | vac! : i ies - aGfORS beat? te val : ae AS | ” Obs Peay |e, aes ys) 2 A\\ : Hi a Gtr /ae Ries = ~ “i "ees : : wite We : San on = aD ’ : : ly ‘e y fo : Sori = ; > io = x. gm ; MS ede Ape a Re ‘4 | eee ZS : : ws J 5 : : ; i ee Z ‘ a : , at ie i ANZ San & ‘a sat } 5 UX Syieee . : F aN fa) 4) Pass cia 2 | mp mY 5 5 i 1 6 A YS ’ . ; i , S is : ; ; Cj ' 4 Say Ue aN 3 I Be KS u/) y ‘ i iret y ‘ HNN Ra eee ys ia WZ \, \ ee : . ep ae / S L ~ n/a ah. 4 ’ W/AX cee / f oaths | ae” / & ; we : (a IN 2 Z $ ? 4 } i 4 ’ SS : - : uN " //// 2 f 2 “Yo : : PANS Me es / oa \ Bex gure geen ig = : Harry Segre, /sée. INQUIRIES CONCERNING THE \ INTELLECTUAL POWERS BR AND THE INVESTIGATION OF TRUTH. BY Ay JOHN ABERCROMBIE, M.D. Oxoy. & Ev. iy V.P.R.S.E, 3 - EIGHTH EDITION. LONDON. JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET MDCCCXXXVIII. Cambridge University Library, On ‘permanent deposit from the Botany School PREFACE. I presenting to the public another Edition of this vo- lume, at so short a period from its first publication, the Author feels himself called upon again to express, In the strongest terms, his sense of the mater in which it has been received, and of the notice which has been be- stowed upon it by those whose approbation he highly values. A prejudice appears to have long existed against metaphysical inquiries, from an impression that they re- late only to scholastic sophistries, incapable of being ap- plied to any useful purpose, and leading to no results which are entitled to the character of truth.. The ob- ject of the Author has been to avoid all suich unprofita- ble speculations, and to restrict his investigations by those boundaries within which the science can be shown to rest upon authentic facts, and to yield conclusions of the utmost practical importance. If he has thus suc- vi PREFACE. ceeded in giving to the science of mind some degree of popular interest, the intention is accomplished. which he had in view, when he ventured on a course of inquiry, which has been enriched by the talents, and adorned by the eloquence, of some of the most eminent indivi- duals that have devoted themselves to. any department of human knowledge. CONTENTS. INTRODUCTIONsesosccseccscncerececcccesevcncnscsscscencvascersesneues cess PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS ON THE GENERAL OBJECTS oF SCIENCE. Uniformity of the Relations of Bodies....sssseescsseeeseseeress ees Origin of our Idea of Causation...+e+serrsseesereee aeera tes ers eas Our Idea of the Relation of Cause and Effect, in reference to any two events, entirely distinct from our intuitive impres- sion of Causation.........scpescreee coven: :eipanea Nine ae ses Of Physical, Efficient, and Final Causes.. ........ eaanee er The Object of Science is to trace the Uniform Relations of things......seccseereees Rp ee ee Oe The Object of Art is to apply our Knowledge of these rela- tions, for producing particular results...... re te ecipie’ Distinction of Sciences and Arts, according to the particular substances or relations which are their immediate objects... Division of Sciences into Certain and Uncertain.......++s+seser Grounds of Uncertainty in a Sciences.e+rscssessesesesssorereneceees Illustrations of the Uncertain Sciences from Medicine an Political EXconomy.ss.sescsrerecesssenesnesses aieer ise ssimaes vebieesrs Imperfection of all Science, from the limited nature of the hu- MAN faculticsiesr..cccccccocscetecerscevnevesesenecstensnssnesesen sunt sere A Page 1 OD Or CONTENTS. PART I. OF THE NATURE AND EXTENT OF OUR KNOWLEDGE OF MIND. Our knowledge of Mind limited entirely to Facts........ a Ideal Theory of the Old Philosophy........+.+++: OF Sicttetig lion, a) aiigans dec sccsctrndiecrevernsnonvesons ee eeeeeiial Grounds for considering Materialism as - only unfound- ed, but as, in its nature, opposed to the First Princi- ples of Philosophical Inquiry Grounds for believing that the Thinking Pringle is, in its Essence, independent of the Body, and will survive it...... acs This belief is entirely independent of our speculations respecting the immateriality of the thinking principle, and rests on a species of evidence altogether different.... PART II. OF THE ORIGIN OF OUR KNOWLEDGE OF FACTS, RELATING BOTH TO MATTER AND MIND. ~ 38 SECTION I. SENSATION AND PERCEPTION. Of the Primary and Secondary properties of Matter.......... oan Knowledge of the properties of Matter by the Senses..........:- Of our Knowledge of Distance and Magnitude........++-sse++0+s Apparent improvement of some senses after loss of others...... Of our Knowledge of the Nature of Perception.......++++». Remarkable influence of Attention..........- Reve ieee oeaeeEnt ets ... Habits of Attention and Inattention.....csecseseccceses ee rereeeeee OEP dive PorcepiiensnscesWieveesss vetecevessouvh) se0eeecseevey aoa CONTENTS. vu SECTION II. CONSCIOUSNESS AND REFLECTION. Of the Knowledge which we derive from Consciousness and lavasticitoree .. -neesenoErd ESET eat ea es aw net ea as oh 66 1. The Knowledge of our Mental Processes..........- ib. 2. Compound Notions,—as Time, Cause, Motion... 67 3. First Truths, or Intuitive Articles of Belief....... ibs SECTION III. TESTIMONY. Rules by which we estimate the Credibility of Testimony...... 70 Confidence in Testimony in regard to statements at variance with our Personal Observation or Experience........ persia tne eee Objections which have been made to the Reception of such Statements on the Evidence of Testimony..............ss00+0 74 Fallacy of these objections,—and Grounds of our Confidence RR OSUNO assess Si aie cos oes Ae Weeds ice oases rey 75 Distinction between Events which are Marvellous and those WiGehy “BEG SWORN OUS sce. ¢csvi0kedeccnsvoevessseduess vii aie 79 Moral Probability of Miracles.......... Fivaeavs teste lances (heverrvetee 81 Miracles not a violation of the established order of Nature, but referable to an agency altogether new and peculiar........ 84 Grounds on which we estimate the Credibility of Testimony in regard to unusual or miraculous events.....ceeseees BOE oe ee OO CONTENTS. PART III. OF THE INTELLECTUAL OPERATIONS. SECTION I. MEMORY. Attention.......