dent a mass of crude and conflicting statements, his mind becomes perplexed. To be able to resolve such a mass into its elements, and to separate truth from errour, implies' an acquaintance with the laws of the intellect, and a degree of mental discipline, which he is not yet supposed to have acquired ; and hence, instead of obtaining much important knowl ; edge, he becomes distrustful of every thing. Now these evils, saying nothing of the loss of time attendant on such a course, are to be remedied in the same way as in other sciences. In other departments of learning, ingenious men discuss points of difficulty ; conflicting arguments are accumulated, until the preponderance on one side is such, that the question in debate is considered settled. Others employ themselves in collecting facts, in classifying them, and in deducing general principles; and when all this is done, the important truths of the science, collected from such a variety of sources and suitably arranged and expressed, are laid before the student, in order that he may become acquainted with them. Very seldom any one thinks it advisable, that the pupil, in the course of an education limited to a very few years, should be obliged to attempt an acquaintance with every scientific tract and book, whether of greater or less value. It is neither desirable nor possible, that he should be able to cousult all the Memoirs of Institutes and of Royal Societies ; and still less to read the multitude of halfformed suggestions, which are either struck out in the momentary heat of debate, or are developed from all quarters in the natural progress of the mind, It belongs rather to professional men and to public instructers, to engage in this minute and laborious examination,and to present those whom they instruct with the results of their inquiries. It may indeed be desirable to give them some knowledge of the history of a science,and to point out such authors as are particularly worthy of being consulted by those, whose inclination and opportunities justify more particular investigations. But this is all, that is either demanded, or can be profitable in the ordinary course of education. And this is what is attempted to be done in the present work. It has been my desire and endeavour, as was intimated at the beginning of these remarks to give a concise, but correct view of the prominent principles in Mental Philosophy, so far as they seemed at present to be settled. The statement of these principles is attended with a perspicuous summary of the facts and arguments, on which they are based ; together with occasional remarks on the objections, which have been made from time to time. In selecting facts in confirmation of the principles laid down, I have sought those, which not only had a relation to the point in hand, but which promised a degree of interest for young minds. Simplicity and uni . . formity of style has been aimed at, although in a few instances the statements of the writers referred to have been admitted with only slight variations, when it was thought they had been peculiarly happy in them. As my sole object was the good of young men, I did not feel at liberty to prejudice the general design, by rejecting the facts, arguments, and in some cases even the expressions of others. THOMAS C. UPHAM, BOW DOIN COLLEGE, Maine. THIRD ABRIDGED EDITION. Great pains have been taken with this new edition. The more important improvements, contained in the larger work in two volumes, have been introduced into this. Teachers will find it, in some respects, essentially altered from any former impression; and this may occasion a temporary inconvenience, as different editions cannot be used in the same class. But it is hoped they will be willing to overlook this, in consideration of the decided improvements, which they may expect to meet with in various parts of the work. In a treatise embracing such a multiplicity of topics, it it could hardly be expected that the first attempts would be so successful as to leave nothing for further and more exact inquiry. Norge, 13.32. CONTENTS. or belief of personal existence 18 СНАР. 1-UTILITY MENTAL Primary truth of personal iden- SECT. Reasons for regarding this a pri- Objects of this science and objec- | mary truth I'Or the existence of matter 21 Its supposed practical inutility 2 There are original and authorita- Ils supposed practical inutility an- tive grounds of belief 3 Primary truths having relation to Mental Philosophy tends to grati- the reasoning power fy a reasonable curiosity 4 No beginning or change of exist- Further grounds for this view 5 ence without a cause Mental Philosophy teaches us Occasions of the origin of the pri- where to limit our inquiries 6 mary truth of effects and causes 25 Remarks of Mr. Locke on this Matter and mind have uniform Helps us in the correction of men- This primary truth not founded Is a help to those, who have the Of the distinction between prima- charge of early education 9 ry and ultimate truths Has a connection with other de- partments of science 11 LAWS OF THE MIND. Illustrates the nature and wisdom 12 Chap. I.-IMMATERIALITY OF THE of the mental efforts necessary in Of certain frivolous inquiries con- II.-IMPLIED OR PRIMARY TRUTHS. cerning the nature of the mind 29 Origin & application of the terms, Importance of certain preliminary material and immaterial 30 statements in mental philosophy 14 Difference between mind and mat- Nature of such preliminary state- ter shown from language. 15 Their different nature evinced by Of the name or designation given their respective properties 16 The material quality of divisibility Primary truth of personal exist- 17 Opinions of Buffier on the soul's in- 59 36 The soul's immateriality indicated tal conceptions by the feeling of identity 35 Mystery of hunan freedom as co- existent with the Divine pres- cience 60 the mentaland the bodily state 37 terms, infinity, eternity, &c. 61 62 Comparative state of the mind and The gentient part, as well as the The great works of genius an evi- Mental limitations implied in 40 man’sinferiority to his Creator 64 Of the immortality of the soul 41 Remarks of Addison on the soul's CHAP. IV-LAWS OF CHAF. II.- -LAWS OF THE MIND IN Nature and degrees of belief 65 Existence of laws even in material Consciousness a law of belief 68 43 of what is to be understood by Objection from the apparent disor- Consciousness 44 Consciousness properly a complex Remarks of Montesquieu on laws 45 state of the mind Of laws in relation to the mind. 46 Of the proper objects or subjects of Mental la ivs may be divided into consciousness 47 The objects of consciousness wholly Distinction betiveen the susceptibil- internal and mental ities and the laws of the mind 48 The belief from consciousness of the most decided and highest kind 73 Evidence of the general fact of the 49 General statement as to the confi- Objection to this inquiry from the dence placed in ihe senses incompleteness of the mind's his- The belief arising from the senses 50 may be considered in two res- The mind limited as to its knowledge pects of the essence or interiour nature Objection to reposing confidence in Our knowledge of the nature ofmind The senses imperfect rather than Remarks on the extent of this limi- Some alleged mistakes of the sen- 53 ses owing to want of care 78 Our knowledge of matter in certain Of mistakes in judging of the mo- Our ignorance of the reciprocal con- of mistakes as to the distances and Illustrated in the case of voluntary The senses liable to be diseased 81 56 Our knowledge of the material Further illustrations of our igno- rance in respect to this connec- Correctness of their testimony in Of space as a boundary of intellec- The senses as much grounds of be- 58 lief as other parts of our con- -LAWS THAT LIMIT THE 75 Opinions of Locke on the testimo- not necessary 85 Ofresemblance in the effects pro- Contrast the second general or Contiguity the third general or Os testimony and the general fact primary law 107 Of the various explanations of the origin of conficience in testimo- Connection of a reliance on testi- (II) SECONDARY LAWS. mony with a disposition to utter 88 Of secondary laws and their con- This reliance greatly confirmed by 89 or the influence of the lapse of Objections to our reliance on testi- time 90 Secondary law of repetition or Further remarks on this objec- 91 of the secondary law of co-exis- Chap. VII-LAWS OF BELIEF. Original dillerence in the mental The foregoing law as applicable to All men place a reliance on mem- ory 92 Ofassociations suggested by pres- Limitations of our reliance on ent objects of perception 115 93 Causes of increased vividness in the Origin of men's reliance on mem- foregoing instances ory 94 Memory the occasion of belief far- Cilap. XI.-LAW OF HABIT. ther ihan what is actually re- 95 General view of the law of habit Illustrations of the law of habit 113 (V) RELATIVE SUGGESTION AND Application of this law to feelings Meaning of Relative Suggestion CHAP. XII-SIMPLICITY AND COM- and its connection with belief 96 perceptions of relation 97 Origin of the distinction of mental 98 of the general nature of simple and Of reasoning as a ground of belief 99 mental states Evidence that men confide in the Simple mental states not suscepti- Means of obtaining a knowledge of Chap. IX-LAWS OF our simple notions 123 (1) PRIMARY LAWS. Origin of complex notions and their relation to simple 124 Meaning of association and extent Of the precise sense in which com- of its applications 101 plexness is to be understood 125 Of the term Association and its Illustrations of analysis as applied general laws 102 to the mind 126 Resemblance the first general law of association 103 CHAP. XII-GENERAL CLASSIFICA- Resemblance in every particular ASSOCIATION. TION. |