PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. THE favor with which the first edition of this work has been received, has conspired, with a desire to give it an extensive and enduring circulation as a text book, to induce the author carefully to revise and to stereotype it for a second and enlarged edition. Great pains have been taken to render the statements and discussions as thorough, luminous, and condensed as the nature of the work admits. Technical terms are mostly avoided; quotations from foreign languages are introduced only in English; and every sentence in the book is studiously brought within the apprehension of all who are accustomed to reflect. Having devoted several years to teaching, the author has realized the difficulty of interesting the minds of the young, and of conducting them to sound and discriminating views on subjects of this nature. This difficulty it has been his special effort to remove; and he has been induced to believe, both from his own experience and the assurance of distinguished teachers, that the effort has not been in vain. The author is now preparing a work on MORAL PHILOSOPHY, similar in size and plan to this, and intended to succeed it in a course of study, which may be expected within a few months. In the mean time, he respectfully dedicates this volume to his fellowteachers and their pupils, for whom it is especially designed, with the earnest desire that those who use it as a text book may realize as much satisfaction and profit in the study of it as he has in its preparation. BOSTON, Mar 1, 1852. CONTENTS. Difference between the vegetable and the animal; between the animal and man. Physical superiority of man. Erectness of position; covering; head and face; hands; organs of speech; digestive func- Definition of instinct. Distinction between instinct and reason. Ex- amples of instinct-bees; butterflies; spiders; fishes, and amphibi- Definition of the mind. Its creation; essence; the limits of our knowledge of it. Its properties; immateriality; personal identity, . 45 IMMORTALITY OF THE HUMAN MIND. Why its immortality is doubted. Its mortality cannot be proved. The materiality of the mind could not prove it mortal. Argument for its a proves. Natural immortality of the mind. First revelation of our 53 CHAPTER VI. ORIGIN OF HUMAN KNOWLEDGE. Theory of innate ideas. Theory of Locke. What Locke meant by 66 THE SENSES. PART II. PRIMARY KNOWLEDGE. CHAPTER I. PRIMARY KNOWLEDGE OF TWO KINDS. Sense of SMELL; often defective; knowledge of 79 CHAPTER II. SENSE OF TOUCH. Not identical with that of temperature. Resistance learned by this CHAPTER III. ADDITIONAL SENSES. Sense of temperature. Weariness and fatigue. Pleasure and pain. 92 102 Sensation defined. The mind the agent in sensation. How sensations are known. All ideas by sensation cognitions. Physiological view of sensation. Nerves and brain. The seat of sensibility not exclusively in the head. Sensation not simple. How objects act on the organs These organs are stimulated. Sensations are local. Ob- jection to this view. Cases cited by Reid. Philosophy and expe- IMPROVEMENT OF OUR SENSATIONS. The organs susceptible of culture. How they may be improved. How the sensations may be improved. Improvement of the sensation of Defined. Intuitive perception. Mutual relations of sensation and per- ception. Distinction between sensation and perception. Entities and nonentities. Objective and subjective entities. True percep- tions. Examples. False perceptions. Examples. How we may know whether our perceptions are true. Physical entities known by contact. Each entity originally known by contact. Each entity originally known by its appropriate sense. May also be known by other senses. How the organs of sense are tested. How the media of perception are tested. How the sanity of the mind is tested. Per- Conception of speculative truths. Further application of the term. Distinction between conception and memory; between conception and imagination. Vividness of conceptions. Influence of associa- tion on conception. Influence of attention on conception. Concep- tion of musical sounds. Influence of habit on conceptions of sight; of musical sounds. Conceptions subservient to description. Facts in proof. Is conception attended with belief? Cases of supposed belief. Cases of real belief. Views of Reid. Cases of permanent belief. Conception giving life to inanimate objects. False concep |