A Review of Edwards's "Inquiry into the Freedom of the Will"Tappan, Henry Philip
Religion
A Review of Edwards's "Inquiry into the Freedom of the Will"
Tappan, Henry Philip
Edwards, Jonathan, 1703-1758. Freedom of the will; Free will and determinism
We have remarked that moral certainty exists only where the harmony of
the moral constitution is preserved. Here we know the right will be
obeyed. It may be remarked in addition to this, however, that moral
certainty may almost be said to exist in the case of the lowest moral
degradation, where the right is altogether forsaken. Here the rule is,
"whatever is most agreeable;" and the volition is indeed merged into the
sense of the most agreeable. But in the intermediate state lies the wide
field of probability. What is commonly called the knowledge of human
nature, and esteemed of most importance in the affairs of life, is not
the knowledge of human nature as it ought to be, but as it is in its
vast variety of good and evil. We gain this knowledge from observation
and history. What human nature ought to be, we learn from reason.
On a subject of so much importance, and where it is so desirable to have
clear and definite ideas, the rhetorical ungracefulness of repetition is
of little moment, when this repetition serves our great end. I shall be
pardoned, therefore, in calling the attention of the reader to a point
above suggested, namely, that the will is in a triunity with reason and
sensitivity, and, in the constitution of our being, is designed to
derive its rules and inducements of action from these. Acts which are in
the direction of neither reason nor sensitivity, must be very trifling
acts; and therefore acts of this description, although possible, we may
conclude are very rare. In calculating, then, future acts of will, we
may, like the mathematicians, drop infinitesimal differences, and assume
that all acts of the will are in the direction of reason or sensitivity,
or of both in their harmony. Although the will is conscious of power to
do, out of the direction of both reason and sensitivity, still, in the
triunity in which it exists, it submits itself to the general interests
of the being, and consults the authority of conscience, or the
enjoyments of passion. Now every individual has acquired for himself
habits and a character more or less fixed. He is known to have submitted
himself from day to day, and in a great variety of transactions, to the
laws of the conscience; and hence we conclude that he has formed for
himself a fixed purpose of doing right. He has exhibited, too, on many
occasions, noble, generous, and pure feelings; and hence we conclude
that his sensitivity harmonizes with conscience. Or he is known to have
violated the laws of the conscience from day to day, and in a great
variety of transactions; and hence we conclude that he has formed for
himself a fixed purpose of doing wrong. He has exhibited, too, on many
occasions, low, selfish, and impure feelings; and hence we conclude that
his sensitivity is in collision with conscience.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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