登陆注册
5589700000051

第51章 PHILOSOPHY(5)

But a difficulty arises when a similar method is applied to a doctrine sincerely disputed.To the statement,'this is a necessary belief,'it is a sufficient answer to reply,'I don't believe it.'In that case,an intuition merely amounts to a dogmatic assumption that I am infallible,and must be supported by showing its connection with beliefs really universal and admittedly necessary.

Dugald Stewart followed Reid upon this main question,and with less force and originality represents the same point of view.He accepts Reid's view of the two co-ordinate departments of knowledge;the science of which mind,and the science of which body,is the object.Philosophy is not a 'theory of knowledge'or of the universe;but,as it was then called,'a philosophy of the human mind.''Philosophy'is founded upon inductive psychology;and it only becomes philosophy in a wider sense in so far as we discover that as a fact we have certain fundamental beliefs,which are thus given by experience,though they take us in a sense beyond experience.Jeffrey,reviewing Stewart's life of Reid,in the Edinburgh Review of 1804,makes a significant inference from this.Bacon's method,he said,had succeeded in the physical sciences,because there we could apply experiment.But experiment is impossible in the science of mind;and therefore philosophy will never be anything but a plaything or a useful variety of gymnastic.Stewart replied at some length in his Essays,(25)fully accepting the general conception,but arguing that the experimental method was applicable to the science of mind.Jeffrey observes that it was now admitted that the 'profoundest reasonings'had brought us back to the view of the vulgar,and this,too,is admitted by Stewart so far as the cardinal doctrine of 'the common sense'philosophy,the theory of perception,is admitted.

From this,again,it follows that the 'notions we annex to the words Matter and Mind are merely relative.'(26)We know that mind exists as we know that matter exists;or,if anything,we know the existence of mind more certainly because more directly.The mind is suggested by 'the subjects of our consciousness';the body by the objects 'of our perception.'But,on the other hand,we are totally 'ignorant of the essence of either.'(27)We can discover the laws either of mental or moral phenomena;but a law,as he explains,means in strictness nothing but a 'general fact.'(28)It is idle,therefore,to explain the nature of the union between the two unknowable substances;we can only discover that they are united and observe the laws according to which one set of phenomena corresponds to the other.From a misunderstanding of this arise all the fallacies of scholastic ontology,'the most idle and absurd speculation that ever employed the human faculties.'(29)The destruction of that pseudo-science was the great glory of Bacon and Locke;and Reid has now discovered the method by which we may advance to the establishment of a truly inductive 'philosophy of mind.'

It is not surprising that Stewart approximates in various directions to the doctrines of the empirical school.He leans towards them whenever he do es not see the results to which he is tending.Thus,for example,he is a thorough-going nominalist;(30)and on this point he deserts the teaching of Reid.He defends against Reid the attack made by Berkeley and Hume upon 'abstract ideas.'Rosmini,(31)in an elaborate criticism,complains that Stewart did not perceive the inevitable tendency of nominalism to materialism.(32)Stewart,in fact,accepts a good deal of Horne Tooke's doctrine,(33)though calling Tooke an 'ingenious grammarian,not a very profound philosopher,'but holds,as we shall see,that the materialistic tendency can be avoided.

As becomes a nominalist,he attacks the syllogism upon grounds more fully brought out by J.S.Mill.Upon another essential point,he agrees with the pure empiricists.He accepts Hume's view of causation in all questions of physical science.In natural philosophy,he declares causation means only conjunction.The senses can never give us the 'efficient'cause of any phenomenon.

In other words,we can never see a 'necessary connection'between any two events.He collects passages from earlier writers to show how Hume had been anticipated;and holds that Bacon's inadequate view of this truth was a main defect in his theories.(34)Hence we have a characteristic conclusion.He says,when discussing the proofs of the existence of God,(35)that we have an 'irresistible conviction of the necessity of a cause'for every change.

Hume,however,has shown that this can never be a logical necessity.It must then,argues Stewart,be either a 'prejudice'or an 'intuitive judgment.'

Since it is shown by 'universal consent'not to be a prejudice,it must be an intuitive judgment.Thus Hume's facts are accepted;but his inference denied.The actual causal nexus is inscrutable.The conviction that there must be a connection between events attributed by Hume to 'custom'is attributed by Stewart to intuitive belief.Stewart infers that Hume's doctrine is really favourable to theology.It implies that God gives us the conviction,and perhaps,as Malebranche held,that God is 'the constantly operating efficient Cause in the material world.'(36)Stewart's successor,Thomas Brown,took up this argument on occasion of the once famous 'Leslie controversy';and Brown's teaching was endorsed by James Mill and by John Stuart Mill.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 三年树人(中篇小说)

    三年树人(中篇小说)

    谢小辉是一个家境贫寒的中文专科生:初恋的情人抛弃他;写了无数的散文、诗歌、小说,连省刊都上不了;专升本的考试一塌糊涂,分配工作无望。他陷入了背后是一片萧索、前景又茫茫无路可走的境地。就在这个时候,一个老师为他指出了另一条“捷径”,面临抉择的谢小辉何去何从?谢小辉虽然家境贫寒,当年却并没有填报G师大,他一口气填的全是军事学院,什么步兵学院、炮兵学院、装甲兵学院……班主任建议他考师大,一则师大不交学费,与他的家境吻合;二则他认为谢小辉口才好,出来当老师挺合适。
  • 问道

    问道

    极情于剑,然后执剑,而后我以剑问天下,是否有道!我原本以为,复明之后,我睁开了眼便能看清这个世界,可当我睁开眼之后,我却发现更无法看清这个世界了,我想要活着,活到,我能看清这个世界的时候。又或者是,我问道巅峰,奏一曲金戈齐鸣,镇尽此世不羁之魂!
  • 江湖豪侠传之剑领天下

    江湖豪侠传之剑领天下

    北宋初年,天下初定,百废待兴,然民间习武之风正盛,从武职业者不计其数,这样的局面已经维持了三十多年。这注定是一个伟大的时代,而我便是这伟大时代里渺小的一份子,看我宋圆宝怎样闯出一片不一样的天地!
  • 夜雨寄北

    夜雨寄北

    心与文字的剑锋狭路相逢,黑暗的夜的光芒泄露,寻觅知音的言语,慰藉夜雨心中的荒凉。直抵心灵的句子,沉寂深邃的情感,令人产生共鸣的散文篇章。
  • 爆笑囧妃:邪王N次追妻

    爆笑囧妃:邪王N次追妻

    穿越成废物有什么关系?拜一个牛逼的师父,整个大陆照样横着走!次日,云若若满身酸楚的醒来质问:“你不是说,整个大陆横着走么?”妖孽男淡淡的开口道,“你昨晚不是横了一晚?”
  • 神坑有变:仙恋进化史

    神坑有变:仙恋进化史

    【四世情缘】作为一个好吃懒做、好高骛远、好色成性的三“好”姑娘,对突然有一天穿越到古代表示很无奈,更无奈的是原本以为只是普通的穿越,没想到是穿成一条蛇,好吧,当蛇不可怕,被砍才尴尬!可是,为什么一道霹雳下来我就成了神?so其实我是来到了修仙者的世界吗?好的让我呼风唤雨来去自由潇潇洒洒过……呃,没有尽头的一生吧!但是!你特么告诉我劈错了让我去护着一个傻子几生几世是什么情况?即将成为神界最闪耀之星的我为什么成了种田小能手!什么?后面还有狗血的宫斗?那谁,请把我劈回去,谢谢!
  • 杨小阳的假期

    杨小阳的假期

    杨小阳是一个10岁的男孩,和爸爸妈妈一起住在东海边上的一个小渔村里。他的爸爸叫杨大海,妈妈叫王海秀,反正都和海有关,因为他们两人都是渔民的后代。杨小阳的爷爷奶奶、姥姥姥爷都是渔民。爸爸妈妈出海打鱼的时候,杨小阳就跟着爷爷奶奶一起在小渔村里生活,或者他有时还跑到姥姥姥爷住的另一个小渔村玩儿。既然杨小阳的爸爸妈妈的名字都和海有关,杨小阳的名字也该和海有关啊,怎么看上去一点儿关系也没有呢?告诉你吧,杨小阳的名字和海关系可大啦。
  • 治理秩序论:经义今诂

    治理秩序论:经义今诂

    本书是一部以儒家经典和中国古代社会治理秩序为研究中心的政治哲学类著作。作者认为,中国的治理之道呈现在儒家十三经当中,构建今日中国优良治理秩序,须立足于中国经验,探究中国治理之道,会通中西,温故知新。作者从《论语》、《孟子》、《礼记》、《尚书》、《周易》中择取十章进行疏解,并运用现代人文与社会科学理论,从天下之大义、人心之趋向、君子养成之道、启蒙之道、客观规则之道、仁本宪政之道、健全的财政之道、治国平天下之大道、革命之道、华夏—中国之秩序想象等十方面进行阐述,从儒家的政治理论和经验中探究合理的现代治理秩序。
  • 有梦才有远方

    有梦才有远方

    有梦才有远方,没有梦想的人是世界上最可怜的人之一。《有梦才有远方》中所辑文章,有向命运挑战的呐喊,有为自由而战的宣言,有对苦难与光明的阐释。它们共同奏响了一曲奋斗的主题歌。闽语有:天公疼憨仔。西谚有:自助者天助之。执着于梦想的人,成功绝不会轻易将他遗弃。尼采说:“谁将声震人间,必长久深自缄默;谁将点燃闪电,必长久如云漂泊。”但愿书中的文章,能够重燃您希望的灯火,能够照亮您前行的征程,伴您梦想成真!
  • 星武联盟

    星武联盟

    于破灭中觉醒,在绝望下复生。来自神秘星系的巨龙携带神石跨越星空降临地球,从此人类走进星武时代。沧海干涸,大地龟裂,漆黑冰冷的深渊中,远古巨兽睁开了眼睛。风云巨变,神明降临,繁华热闹的都市中,迎来史无前例的危机。一个从山里来到都市的神秘少年,迎风破浪,得遇良师,与他的伙伴们开启了一场热血冒险之旅……