Philosophical Letters: or, modest Reflections upon some Opinions in Natural PhilosophyNewcastle, Margaret Cavendish, Duchess of
Philosophy
Philosophical Letters: or, modest Reflections upon some Opinions in Natural Philosophy
Newcastle, Margaret Cavendish, Duchess of
Newcastle, William Cavendish, Duke of, 1592-1676; Philosophy
Concerning _Sense_ and _Perception_, your _Authors_ opinion is,[1]
That it is made by a _motion or impression from the object upon the
sensitive organ, which impression, by means of the nerves, is brought
to the brain, and so to the mind or soul, which onely perceives in
the brain_: Explaining it by the example[2] of a Man being blind, or
walking in dark, who by the help of his stick can perceive when he
touches a Stone, a Tree, Water, Sand, and the like; which example he
brings to make a comparison with the perception of Light; _For_, says
he, _Light in a shining body, is nothing else but a quick and lively
motion or action, which through the air and other transparent bodies
tends towards the eye, in the same manner as the motion or resistance
of the bodies, the blind man meets withal, tends thorow the stick
towards the hand; wherefore it is no wonder that the Sun can display
its rays so far in an instant, seeing that the same action, whereby
one end of the stick is moved, goes instantly also to the other end,
and would do the same if the stick were as long as Heaven is distant
from Earth._ To which I answer first, That it is not onely the Mind
that perceives in the kernel of the Brain, but that there is a double
perception, rational and sensitive, and that the mind perceives by
the rational, but the body and the sensitive organs by the sensitive
perception; and as there is a double perception, so there is also a
double knowledg, rational and sensitive, one belonging to the mind, the
other to the body; for I believe that the Eye, Ear, Nose, Tongue, and
all the Body, have knowledg as well as the Mind, onely the rational
matter, being subtil and pure, is not incumbred with the grosser part
of matter, to work upon, or with it, but leaves that to the sensitive,
and works or moves onely in its own substance, which makes a difference
between thoughts, and exterior senses. Next I say, That it is not the
Motion or Reaction of the bodies, the blind man meets withal, which
makes the sensitive perception of these objects, but the sensitive
corporeal motions in the hand do pattern out the figure of the Stick,
Stone, Tree, Sand, and the like. And as for comparing the perception
of the hand, when by the help of the stick it perceives the objects,
with the perception of light, I confess that the sensitive perceptions
do all resemble each other, because all sensitive parts of matter are
of one degree, as being sensible parts, onely there is a difference
according to the figures of the objects presented to the senses; and
there is no better proof for perception being made by the sensitive
motions in the body, or sensitive organs, but that all these sensitive
perceptions are alike, and resemble one another; for if they were not
made in the body of the sentient, but by the impression of exterior
objects, there would be so much difference betwixt them, by reason of
the diversity of objects, as they would have no resemblance at all.
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