The Monist, Vol. 1, 1890-1891 : $b A quarterly magazine — John Shaqi
The Monist, Vol. 1, 1890-1891 : $b A quarterly magazineVarious
Philosophy
The Monist, Vol. 1, 1890-1891 : $b A quarterly magazine
Various
Philosophy -- Periodicals
Man possesses in pre-eminence the power to determine arbitrarily
and consciously his point of view. He can at one time disregard the
most salient features, and immediately afterwards take into account
the smallest trifles; now regard a current of electricity as fixed,
without consideration of its contents, and now determine the width of
a Frauenhofer line in the solar spectrum; he can rise, at will, to the
most general abstractions, or bury himself in the minutest particulars.
The animal possesses this capacity in a much less degree. It does not
assume a point of view, but usually is brought to it by impressions.
The baby that does not recognise its father with his hat on, the dog
that is perplexed at the new coat of its master, have succumbed in the
conflict of points of view. Who has not been thus worsted in similar
cases? Even the man of philosophy at times succumbs, as the fantastic
problem above referred to, shows.
Indeed, do not certain circumstances actually appear to furnish a
justification of that problem? Colors, sounds, the odors of bodies
are evanescent. But the tangible part, as a sort of constant, durable
nucleus, not easily liable to annihilation, remains behind; appearing
as the vehicle of the more fugitive properties annexed to it. Habit
firmly affixes our thought to this central nucleus, even where the
knowledge has found its way, that seeing, hearing, smelling, and
_touching_ are intimately akin in character. Added to this, also, comes
the fact, that in consequence of the singularly extensive development
of mechanical physics a kind of _higher reality_ is ascribed to Space
and Time than to colors, sounds, and odors. Agreeably to which, the
junction in space and time of colors, sounds, and odors appears _more
real_ than colors, sounds, and odors themselves. The physiology of the
senses, however, demonstrates, that spaces and times can with as much
justice be termed sensations, as colors and sounds.
V.
Also the ego, as well as the relation of bodies to the ego, occasions
the rise of analogous seeming-problems, the character of which may be
briefly presented in the following manner.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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