ELEMENTS

OF THE

PHILOSOPHY

OF

THE HUMAN MIND.

IN TWO PARTS.

BY

DUGALD STEWART,

PROFESSOR OF MORAL PHILOSOPHY IN THE UNIVERSITY, AND FELLOW OF THE ROYAL
SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH; HONORARY MEMBER OF THE IMPERIAL ACADEMY OF

SCIENCES AT. ST. PETERSBURGH; AND MEMBER OF THE AMERICAN
PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY HELD AT PHILADELPHIA.

A New Edition.

BOSTON:

JAMES MUNROE, & CO.

NEW YORK: COLLINS, BROTHER AND CO.-ROBINSON, PRATT
PHILADELPHIA: GRIGG AND ELLIOT.

AND CO.

1843.

CHAPTER V.-OF THE ASSOCIATION OF IDEAS

PAGE

. 170

PART I.-OF THE INFLUENCE OF ASSOCIATION IN REGULATING THE SUCCES-

SION OF OUR THOUGHTS.

SECT. I.-General Observations on this Part of our Constitution, and on the

Language of Philosophers with respect to it

Il-Of the Principles of Association among our Ideas

171

177

III. Of the Power which the Mind has over the Train of its Thoughts 181

IV-Illustrations of the Doctrine stated in the preceding Section

184

1. Of Wit

ibid.

187

2. Of Rhyme

2. Of Poetical Fancy

4. Of Invention in the Arts and Sciences

V.-Application of the Principles stated in the foregoing Sections of

this Chapter, to explain the l'henomena of Dreaming

PART II-OF THE INFLUENCE OF ASSSOCIATION ON THE INTELLECTUAL

AND ON THE ACTIVE POWERS.

SECT. I. Of the Influence of casual Associations on our speculative Con-

clusions

11. Of the Influence of the Association of Ideas on our Judgments in

Matters of Taste

211

227

III. Of the Influence of Association on our active Principles and on

our moral Judgments

IV.-General Remarks on the Subjects treated in the foregoing Sec-

tions of this Chapter

. 243

CHAPTER VI.-OF MEMORY.

SECT. I.-General Observations on Memory

II. Of the Varieties of Memory in different Individuals

III. Of the Improvement of Memory -Analysis of the Principles on

which the Culture of Memory depends

. 248

. 261

282

IV.—Continuation of the same Subject-Of the Aid which the Memo-

ry derives from Philosophical Arrangement

V-Continuation of the same Subject.-Effects produced on the Mem-

ory by committing to Writing our acquired Knowledge

VI.-Continuation of the same Subject.-Of Artificial Memory

VII. Continuation of the same Subject.-Importance of making a prop-

er Selection among the Objects of our Knowledge, in order to derive

Advantage from the Acquisitions of Memory

VIII. Of the Connexion between Memory and Philosophical Genius

II. Of Imagination considered in its Relation to some of the Fine Arts 316

III. Continuation of the same subject.-Relation of Imagination and

of Taste to Genius

325

V.Continuation of the same Subject.-Inconveniences resulting

from an ill-regulated Imagination

IV. Of the Influence of Imagination On Human Character and Hap-

piness

326

830

VI. Continuation of the same Subject. -Important Uses to which the

Power of Imagination is subservient

338

CONTENTS OF THE SECOND PART.

PAGE

OF REASON, OR THE UNDERSTANDING, PROPERLY SO CALLED; AND THE VA-

RIOUS FACULTIES AND OPERATIONS MORE IMMEDIATELY CONNECTED WITH IT 341

Preliminary Observations on the Vagueness and Ambiguity of the common

Philosophical Language relative to this part of our Constitution.-Reason

and Reasoning, Understanding, Intellect, Judgment, &c.

CHAPTER I.-OF THE FUNDAMENTAL LAWS OF HUMAN BELIEF; OR THE

PRIMARY ELEMENTS OF HUMAN REASON

SECT. I.-Of mathematical Axioms

II-Continuation of the same Subject

.

ibid.

353

354

364

3674

II. Of certain Laws of Belief, inseparably connected with the exercise
of Consciousness, Memory, Perception, and Reasoning

III.-Continuation of the Subject.-Critical Remarks on some late Con-

troversies to which it has given rise.-Of the Appeals which Dr.

Reid and some other Modern Writers have made,in their Philoso-

phical Discussions, to Common Sense, as a Criterion of Truth 375

CHAPTER 11.-OF REASONING AND OF DEDUCTIVE EVIDENCE

393

SECT. 1.

ibid.

I. Doubts with respect to Locke's Distinction between the Powers

of Intuition and of Reasoning

ibid.

II. Conclusions obtained by a Process of Deduction often mistaken

for Intuitive Judgments

I. Illustrations of some Remarks formerly stated in treating of Ab-

straction

ibid.

II. Continuation of the Subject-Of Language considered as an In-

strument of thought

III. Continuation of the Subject.-Visionary Theories of some Logi-

cians, occasioned by their inattention to the Essential Distinc-

tion between Mathematics and other Sciences

IV. Continuation of the Subject.-Peculiar and supereminent Advan-

tages possessed by Mathematicians, in consequence of their defi-

nite Phraseology

413

· 417-

422

III.—Of Mathematical Demonstration

424

I. Of the circumstance on which Demonstrative Evidence essentially

depends

ibid.

432

II. Continuation of the Subject-How far it is true that all Mathema-

tical Evidence is resolvable into Identical Propositions

III. Continuation of the Subject.-Evidence of the Mechanical Philoso-

phy, not to be confounded with that which is properly called

Demonstrative or Mathematical.-Opposite Error of some late

Writers

IV. Of our Reasonings concerning Probable or Contingent Truths

I. Narrow Field of Demonstrative Evidence.-Of Demonstrative Evi-

dence, when combined with that of Sense, as in Practical Geome-

try and with those of Sense and of Induction, as in the Mecha-

nical Philosophy.-Remarks on a Fundamental Law of Belief,

involved in all our Reasonings concerning Contingent Truths ibid.

II. Continuation of the Subject. Of that Permanence or Stability in

the Order of Nature, which is presupposed in our Reasonings

concerning Contingent Truths

458