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Precisely, for the same reason, there can be no fuch thing as an abstract idea. We cannot form an idea of a part without taking in the whole; nor of motion, colour, figure, independent of a body. No man will say that he can form any idea of beauty, till he think of a perfon endued with that quality; nor that he can form an idea of weight, till he takes under confideration a body that is weighty. And when he takes under confideration a body endued with one or other of the properties mentioned, the idea he forms is not an abstract or general idea, but the idea of a particular body with its properties. But though a part and the whole, a fubject and its attributes, an effect and its cause, are fo intimately connected, as that an idea cannot be formed of the one independent of the other; yet we can reafon upon the one abstracting from the other.

This is done by words fignifying the thing to which the reasoning is confined; and fuch words are denominated abstract terms. The meaning and use of an abstract term is well understood, though of itself, unless other particulars be taken in, it raises no image nor idea in the mind. In language it ferves excellent purpose; by it different figures, different colours, can be compared, without the trouble of conceiving them as belonging to any particular fubject; and they contribute with words fignificant to raise images or ideas in the mind.

42. The

42. The power of abftraction is bestowed on man, for the purpose folely of reasoning. It tends greatly to the facility as well as clearness of any process of reasoning, that, laying afide every other circumftance, we can confine our attention to the fingle property we defire to investigate.

43. Abstract terms may be feparated into three different kinds, all equally fubfervient to the reafoning faculty. Individuals appear to have no end; and did we not poffefs the faculty of distributing them into claffes, the mind would be loft in an endless maze, and no progrefs be made in knowledge. It is by the faculty of abftraction that we diftribute beings into genera and Species: finding a number of individuals connected by certain qualities common to all, we give a name to these individuals confidered as thus connected, which name, by gathering them together into one clafs, serves to exprefs the whole of these individuals as diftinct from others. Thus the word animal serves to denote every being that can move voluntarily; and the words man, horfe, lion, &c. anfwer fimilar purposes. This is the firft and most common fort of abstraction; and it is of the most extensive use, by enabling us to comprehend in our reasoning whole kinds and forts, instead of individuals without end. The next fort of abftract terms comprehends a number of individual objects, confidered as connected by fome occafional relation. A great number of perfons collected in one place, without

any

any other relation but merely that of contiguity, are denominated a crowd: in forming this term, we abstract from fex, from age, from condition, from drefs, &c. A number of perfons connected by the fame laws and by the fame government, are termed a nation: and a number of men under the fame military command, are termed an army. A third fort of abstraction is, where a fingle property or part, which may be common to many individuals, is felected to be the fubject of our contemplation; for example, whiteness, heat, beauty, length, roundness, head, arm.

44. Abstract terms are a happy invention: it is by their means chiefly, that the particulars which make the subject of our reafoning, are brought into close union, and feparated from all others however naturally connected. Without the aid of fuch terms, the mind could never be kept fteady to its proper fubject, but be perpetually in hazard of affuming foreign circumftances, or neglecting what are effential. We can, without the aid of language, compare real objects by intuition, when these objects are prefent; and when abfent, we can compare them in idea. But when we advance farther, and attempt to make inferences and draw conclufions, we always employ abstract terms, even in thinking; it would be as difficult to reafon without them, as to perform operations in algebra without figns; for there is fcarce any reasoning without fome degree of abftraction

fraction, and we cannot eafily abftract without
ufing abftract terms. Hence it follows, that with-
out language man would fcarce be a rational
being.

45. The fame thing, in different refpects, has
different names. With respect to certain quali-
ties, it is termed a fubftance; with respect to other
qualities, a body; and with refpect to qualities
of all forts, a fubject. It is termed a paffive fub-
ject with refpect to an action exerted upon it; an
object with refpect to a percipient; a caufe with
refpect to the effect it produces; and an effect
with refpect to its caufe.

VOL. II.

M m

INDEX.

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