第 6 节
作者:老山文学      更新:2024-01-16 22:40      字数:8852
  the motions perceived are both really in the object) it is
  possible one and the same body shall be really moved the same way
  at once; both very swift and very slow。 How is this consistent
  either with common sense; or with what you just now granted?
  {191}
  。 I have nothing to say to it。
  。 Then as for ; either you do not mean any
  sensible quality by that word; and so it is beside our inquiry:
  or if you do; it must be either hardness or resistance。 But both
  the one and the other are plainly relative to our senses: it
  being evident that what seems hard to one animal may appear soft
  to another; who hath greater force and firmness of limbs。 Nor is
  it less plain that the resistance I feel is not in the body。
  。 I own the very  of resistance; which is
  all you immediately perceive; is not in the body; but the
  of that sensation is。
  。 But the causes of our sensations are not things
  immediately perceived; and therefore are not sensible。 This point
  I thought had been already determined。
  。 I own it was; but you will pardon me if I seem a
  little embarrassed: I know not how to quit my old notions。
  。 To help you out; do but consider that if
  be once acknowledged to have no existence without the mind; the
  same must necessarily be granted of motion; solidity; and
  gravity; since they all evidently suppose extension。 It is
  therefore superfluous to inquire particularly concerning each of
  them。 In denying extension; you have denied them all to have any
  real existence。
  。 I wonder; Philonous; if what you say be true; why
  those philosophers who deny the Secondary Qualities any real
  existence should yet attribute it to the Primary。 If there is no
  difference between them; how can this be accounted for?
  。 It is not my business to account for every opinion
  of the philosophers。 But; among other reasons which may be
  assigned for this; it seems probable that pleasure and pain being
  rather annexed to the former than the latter may be one。 Heat and
  cold; tastes and smells; have something more vividly pleasing or
  disagreeable than the ideas of extension; figure; and motion
  affect us with。 And; it being too visibly absurd to hold that
  pain or pleasure can be in an unperceiving substance; men are
  more easily weaned from believing the external existence of the
  Secondary than the Primary Qualities。 You will be satisfied there
  is something in this; if you recollect the difference you made
  between an intense and more moderate degree of heat; allowing the
  one a real existence; while you denied it to the other。 But;
  after all; there is no rational ground for that distinction; for;
  surely an indifferent sensation is as {191} truly
  as one more pleasing or painful; and consequently should not any
  more than they be supposed to exist in an unthinking subject。
  。 It is just come into my head; Philonous; that I have
  somewhere heard of a distinction between absolute and sensible
  extension。 Now; though it be acknowledged that  and
  ; consisting merely in the relation which other extended
  beings have to the parts of our own bodies; do not really inhere
  in the substances themselves; yet nothing obliges us to hold the
  same with regard to ; which is something
  abstracted from  and ; from this or that particular
  magnitude or figure。 So likewise as to motion;  and
  are altogether relative to the succession of ideas in our own
  minds。 But; it doth not follow; because those modifications of
  motion exist not without the mind; that therefore absolute motion
  abstracted from them doth not。
  。 Pray what is it that distinguishes one motion; or
  one part of extension; from another? Is it not something
  sensible; as some degree of swiftness or slowness; some certain
  magnitude or figure peculiar to each?
  。 I think so。
  。 These qualities; therefore; stripped of all sensible
  properties; are without all specific and numerical differences;
  as the schools call them。
  。 They are。
  。 That is to say; they are extension in general; and
  motion in general。
  。 Let it be so。
  。 But it is a universally received maxim that
  。 How then can motion in
  general; or extension in general; exist in any corporeal
  substance? {193}
  。 I will take time to solve your difficulty。
  。 But I think the point may be speedily decided。
  Without doubt you can tell whether you are able to frame this or
  that idea。 Now I am content to put our dispute on this issue。 If
  you can frame in your thoughts a distinct  of
  motion or extension; divested of all those sensible modes; as
  swift and slow; great and small; round and square; and the like;
  which are acknowledged to exist only in the mind; I will then
  yield the point you contend for。 But if you cannot; it will be
  unreasonable on your side to insist any longer upon what you have
  no notion of。
  。 To confess ingenuously; I cannot。
  。 Can you even separate the ideas of extension and
  motion from the ideas of all those qualities which they who make
  the distinction term ?
  。 What! is it not an easy matter to consider extension
  and motion by themselves; abstracted from all other sensible
  qualities? Pray how do the mathematicians treat of them?
  。 I acknowledge; Hylas; it is not difficult to form
  general propositions and reasonings about those qualities;
  without mentioning any other; and; in this sense; to consider or
  treat of them abstractedly。 But; how doth it follow that; because
  I can pronounce the word  by itself; I can form the idea
  of it in my mind exclusive of body? or; because theorems may be
  made of extension and figures; without any mention of  or
  ; or any other sensible mode or quality; that therefore it
  is possible such an abstract idea of extension; without any
  particular size or figure; or sensible quality;'3 ' 'should be
  distinctly formed; and apprehended by the mind? Mathematicians
  treat of quantity; without regarding what other sensible。
  qualities it is attended with; as being altogether indifferent to
  their demonstrations。 But; when laying aside the words; they
  contemplate the bare ideas; I believe you will find; they are not
  the pure abstracted ideas of extension。
  。 But what say you to ? May not
  abstracted ideas be framed by that faculty?
  。 Since I cannot frame abstract ideas at all; it is
  plain I cannot frame them by the help of ; {194}
  whatsoever faculty you understand by those words。 Besides; not to
  inquire into the nature of pure intellect and its spiritual
  objects; as ; ; ; or the like; thus much
  seems manifest  that sensible things are only to be perceived
  by sense; or represented by the imagination。 Figures; therefore;
  and extension; being originally perceived by sense; do not belong
  to pure intellect: but; for your farther satisfaction; try if you
  can frame the idea of any figure; abstracted from all
  particularities of size; or even from other sensible qualities。
  。 Let me think a little  I do not find that I can。
  。 And can you think it possible that should really
  exist in nature which implies a repugnancy in its conception?
  。 By no means。
  。 Since therefore it is impossible even for the mind
  to disunite the ideas of extension and motion from all other
  sensible qualities; doth it not follow; that where the one exist
  there necessarily the other exist likewise?
  。 It should seem so。
  。 Consequently; the very same arguments which you
  admitted as conclusive against the Secondary Qualities are;
  without any farther application of force; against the Primary
  too。 Besides; if you will trust your senses; is it not plain all
  sensible qualities coexist; or to them appear as being in the
  same place? Do they ever represent a motion; or figure; as being
  divested of all other visible and tangible qualities?
  。 You need say no more on this head。 I am free to own;
  if there be no secret error or oversight in our proceedings
  hitherto; that all sensible qualities are alike to be denied
  existence without the mind。 But; my fear is that I have been too
  liberal in my former concessions; or overlooked some fallacy or
  other。 In short; I did not take time to think。
  。 For that matter; Hylas; you may take what time you
  please in reviewing the progress of our inquiry。 You are at
  liberty to recover any slips you might have made; or offer
  whatever you have omitted which makes for your first opinion。
  。 One great oversight I take to be this  that I did
  not sufficiently distinguish the  from the 。
  Now; though this latter may not exist without the mind; yet it
  will not thence follow that the former cannot。
  。 What object do you mean? the object of the senses?
  。 The same。
  。 It is t