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
The objects and this faculty are correlates. In relation to the object,
we may call this faculty subject. When subject and object are suited to
each other, that is, are agreeable, affections are produced which we
call pleasant; when they are not suited, that is, are disagreeable,
affections take place which are unpleasant or painful. Every object in
relation to subject, is agreeable or disagreeable, and produces
accordingly, in general, affections pleasant or painful.
In the perfection and harmony of our being, this correspondence is
universal; that is, what is known to be agreeable is felt to be
pleasant;--what is known to be disagreeable is felt to be painful. But,
in the corruption of our being, this is reversed in respect of moral
objects. Although what is right is known to be agreeable, that is,
suited to us, it is felt to be painful. But the wrong which is known to
be unsuited, is felt to be pleasant. It must be remarked here, that
pleasant and agreeable, are used by Edwards and others, as synonymous
terms. The distinction I have here made is at least convenient in
describing the same objects as presented to the understanding and to the
will.
V. The emotions and passions, volitions or choices, are thus produced in
the correlation of subject, that is the will, and the object. In
assigning the causes of these affections, we may refer to the nature of
the will, which is such, as to receive such and such affections when in
the presence of such and such objects: or, we may refer to the objects,
and say their nature and circumstances are such as to produce such and
such affections in the will: or, we may refer to both at once, and say
that the affections arise from the state of the mind, and from the
nature and circumstances of the object.
VI. The affections of the will stand connected with changes or effects
in other parts of our being, as stated antecedents. First, they stand
thus connected with muscular action,--as walking, talking, striking,
resisting, &c. Secondly, they stand thus connected with mental
operations,--as fixing the attention upon any subject of thought and
investigation, or upon any imagination, or any idea of the memory.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account