Elements of metaphysicsTaylor, A. E. (Alfred Edward)
Philosophy
Elements of metaphysics
Taylor, A. E. (Alfred Edward)
Metaphysics
familiar to the ordinary English mind. But the inconsistencies we have
already found inherent in such a conception of Substance as is here
presupposed, so inevitably make themselves felt upon any serious
examination, that the doctrine regularly appears in the history of
thought as a mere temporary halting-place in the advance to the more
radical notion of matter as the entirely unknown non-phenomenal
substratum of the sensible properties of bodies.
§ 2. This latter notion is again manifestly open to all the objections
previously brought against the more general concept of substance as an
unknown substratum or support of properties. It is from these objections
that Berkeley’s famous criticism of the concept of matter, the most
original attempt at a constructive theory of the real nature of the
physical order in the history of English Philosophy, starts. Berkeley
first takes the identification of material substance with the primary
qualities of body, which Locke had made current in English speculation,
and shows, by insisting upon the relativity of perceived quality to
percipient organ, that it is untenable. Having thus driven his opponent
to surrender this identification, and to define matter as the unknown
substratum of the physical order, he proceeds to argue that this notion
of an unknown substratum is both useless and unintelligible. It is
useless, because our knowledge of the actual properties and processes of
the physical order can neither be extended nor made clearer by the
addition of an unknowable; it is unintelligible, because we can give no
account to ourselves of the nature of the “support” supposed to be
bestowed by the substratum or the properties.
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.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account