Fundamental Philosophy, Vol. 1 (of 2)Balmes, Jaime Luciano
Philosophy
Fundamental Philosophy, Vol. 1 (of 2)
Balmes, Jaime Luciano
Philosophy, Spanish
IV. That for the present we limit ourselves to the demonstration of
the dependence which in the present system, of things, all sensations
have in relation to extension; and this demonstration holds good, even
though we suppose the man who possesses only the sense of smelling or
that of hearing not to form any idea of extension, and not to need it
in order to experience its sensations.
V. That even on this supposition, the proposition before established,
that the idea of extension is independent of the other sensations,
still remains unassailed.
VI. That the truth which we are principally endeavoring to demonstrate,
that for us the idea of extension is inseparable from that of body,
also stands firm.
8. This inseparability is so certain, that theologians explaining the
august mystery of the Eucharist, distinguish in the extension of bodies
the relations of the parts to each other, and their relation to place,
_in ordine ad se, et in ordine ad locum_; and they say that the sacred
body of our Lord Jesus Christ is in this august Sacrament, by extension
_in ordine ad se_, though not by extension _in ordine ad locum_. This
proves that the theologians saw that it is not possible for man to
lose all idea of extension, without at the same time losing all idea
of body; and thus they invented this ingenious distinction, of which I
shall speak at greater length in another place.
CHAPTER II.
EXTENSION NOT PERCEPTIBLE AS THE DIRECT AND IMMEDIATE OBJECT OF
SENSATIONS.
9. Extension has the remarkable peculiarity of being perceived by
different senses. As regards sight and touch this is evident; it is
also true as far as concerns the other senses. We perceive taste in
different parts of the palate, and we refer sound and smell to distinct
points in space, and this involves the idea of extension.
But what is more strange is, that although extension is the
indispensable basis of all sensations and therefore perceived by all
the senses, it is, in itself, and separated from every other quality,
imperceptible to them all. The eye perceives only light, and the ear
sound, the palate taste, the smell odor, and the object of touch is
that which is warm or cold, moist or dry, solid or liquid, etc. None
of these objects is extension, none _in particular_ is necessary for
the perception of extension; for we constantly find it separated from
each of these qualities, and yet it is still perceptible. No one _in
particular_ is necessary for the perceptibility of extension, but some
one is indispensable; for, unless accompanied by some one of them, it
is imperceptible to the senses.
Hence, extension is a necessary condition of our sensations, but is
not itself perceived by the senses. Still it is not therefore unknown,
and this brings me to some other reflections which take us out of the
phenomenal into the transcendental order, and give rise to very serious
and difficult questions, which have hitherto been insolvable, and it is
to be feared must ever remain so.
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