date

7 Aug. 1814 Logic Ch. │ │ Methodization
7 Aug. 1814

Logic

Ch. │ │ Methodization

'. │ │ Subjects of denomination

Entities 1. real. 2. fabulous. 3. fictitious.

2

3

Names 1. Simple. 2. Compound.

If of this operation (viz. methodization by denomination) things were the only subjects, after names of persons, names there would be none, other than names of things. But of names that are not names of things, there are abundantly more than of names that are.

By things, are here meant, bodies: inanimate masses of corporeal, substance.

By this denomination we are led to the distinction - the comprehensive and instructive distinction - between real entities and fictitious entities: or rather between their respective names. Names of real entities are masses of proper names, names of so many individual masses of matter: of common names, names respectively of all such individual masses of matter as are of such or such a particular description, which by these names are indicated or endeavoured to be indicated.

Words - viz. words employed to serve as names - being the only instruments by which in the absence of the things, viz. the substances themselves, the ideas of them can be presented to the mind, hence, wheresoever a word is seen which to appearance is employed in the character of a name, a natural and abundantly extensive consequence is - a disposition and propensity to suppose the existence, the real existence, of a correspondent object - of a correspondent thing - of the thing of which it is the name, of a thing to which it ministers in the character of a name.

Yielded to without a sufficiently attentive caution, this disposition is a frequent source of confusion: of temporary confusion and perplexity: and not only so, but even[?] of permanent & persisting error.

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    Description: 7 Aug. 1814 A +

    Logic

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    '.4. Subjects of methodization by denomination - real entities - fictitious entities.

    {1}

    Of methodization, in so far as performed by denomination, the subjects, the immediate subjects - are names and nothing more: things? - yes: - but no otherwise than through the medium of their names.

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    If of this operation things were the only subjects, after names of persons names there would be none, other than such as are the names of things. But of names that are not names of things, there are abundantly more than of names that are.}

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    It is only by means of names, viz. simple or compound, that things are susceptible of arrangement: understand of arrangement in the psychical sense; in which sense, strictly speaking, it is only the ideas of the things in question that are the subjects of the arrangement, not the things themselves. Of physical arrangement the subjects are the things themselves: the animals, (suppose) the plants - the minerals, viz. as disposed in a museum: of psychical, the names, and, through the names, the ideas of those several objects: viz. as disposed in a systematic work on the subject of the correspondent branch of Natural Philosophy - on the subject of Zoology, Botany or Mineralogy.

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  • Title: [7 Aug. 1814 Logic Ch. │ │ Methodization]
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    Fictitious entities, viz. the objects for the designation of which throughout the whole course of the present work this appellative is meant to be employed, are such of which, in a very ample proportion, the mention and consequent fiction requires to be introduced for the purpose of discourse, for the common purposes of every discourse. Their names being employed in the same manner as names of substances are employed, hence the character in which they present themselves is that of so many names of substances. But these names of fictitious entities do not, as do the abovementioned names of fabulous entities, raise up in the mind any correspondent images.

    Follows a sort of commenced catalogue of these fictitious entities of these names of fictitious entities: from which the common nature in which as above they all participate will presently become perceptible. Like the names of real and those of fabulous entities, all these words, it will be seen are, in the language of Grammarians, noun substantives. All these fictitious entities are accordingly so many fictitious substances. The properties which for the purposes of discourse are attributed to them are so many properties of substances - so many properties of all substances.

    That the properties belonging to substances, to bodies in general, are attributed to them - that they are spoken of as if possessed of such properties, appears from the prepositions by which the import of their respective names is put in connexion with the import of the other words of which the sentence, [by which] the grammatical sentence is composed.

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  • Title: [30 Sept. 1814 Logic *8]
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    In speaking of God, it has been common to speak of that inferential being by such names as the cause of all things - the great

    the universal cause. In this instance the same sort of confusion - the same sort of indistinctness in the expression - the same consequent confusion in the /mens/ conception as in the case mentioned is apt to have place.

    The act of God - the will of God - the act of God - these are the entities to the designation of which, and which alone, the term cause can in the case in question be properly with consistently with analogy with propriety be employed - these on the one hand - the word cause on the other, are alike names of fictitious entities.

    Author, and Creator these alone and not the word cause can with propriety be employed in speaking of God. These as well as God are names of real entities; not names of fictitious entities; author a name applicable to man, or in a word to any being considered as susceptible of design. Creator a term exclusively appropriated to the designation of God, considered with reference to his works.

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