A serious proposal to the Ladies, for the advancement of their true and greatest interest (In Two Parts)Astell, Mary
Religion
A serious proposal to the Ladies, for the advancement of their true and greatest interest (In Two Parts)
Astell, Mary
Feminism -- Great Britain -- History -- 18th century -- Sources; Women's rights -- Great Britain -- History -- 18th century -- Sources
I cannot think we are often driven to such straits in any considerable
Affair, tho I believe that very many Subjects may be propos’d to us,
concerning which we cannot readily pass our Judgment, either because we
never consider’d them before, or because we are wanting in some Means
that lead to the Knowlege, of ’em. In which Case Reason wills that we
suspend our Judgment till we can be better Inform’d; nor wou’d it have
us remit our Search after Certainty, even in those very Cases in which
we may sometimes be forc’d to Act only on Probable Grounds. For Reason
can’t rest satisfy’d with Probabilities where Evidence is possible, our
Passions and Interest may, but _That_ does not incline us to leave
off Enquiring lest we happen to meet somewhat contrary to our Desires.
No, Reason requires us to continue our Enquiries with all the Industry
we can, till they’ve put us in Possession of Truth, and when we have
found, enjoyns us to follow her, how opposite soever she may cause our
Latter Actions to be to our Former. But by this we may learn (and so
we may by every thing that such weak and fallible Creatures as we are,
perform) to think Candidly of those whose Opinions and Actions differ
from our own. Because we do not know the necessity of their Affairs,
nor in what ill Circumstances they are plac’d in respect of Truth.
And now to Apply what has been said; The State of the Question being
Distinctly known, and certain Ideas fixt to the Terms we make use of,
we shall find sometimes that the Difference which was suppos’d to be
between the Things themselves, is only in words, in the divers ways we
make use of to express the same Idea.
For if upon looking into our selves we discern, that these different
Terms have but one and the same Idea, when we have corrected our
Expressions the Controversie is at an End, and we need enquire no
further. Thus, If we are ask’d _Whether GOD is Infinitely Perfect_?
There needs no Intermediate Idea to compare the Idea of GOD with that
of Infinite Perfection, since we may discern them on the very first
view to be one and the same Idea differently express’d, which to go
about to explain or prove were only to cumber with needless words,
and to make what is Clear, Obscure. For we Injure a Cause instead of
Defending it, by attempting an Explanation or Proof of things so Clear,
that as they do not need, so perhaps they are not Capable of any.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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