date

30 Sept. 1814 Logic 11
30 Sept. 1814

Logic

11

Ch.2. Ontology

Entities classed

46

12

{Purely natural, purely factitious, and mixed: to one or other of these heads may every motion be referred, considered with reference to the part which the human will is capable of bearing in the production of it.}

{Solid, liquid, or gaseous, - in one or other of these states, at the time of the motion, will the moving body be found.}

The internal constitution of the moving body - the internal constitution of the unmoveable or unmoving /non-moving/ bodies with which it comes in contact, and the configuration of these same bodies; - upon all these several circumstances, or rather groups of circumstances, must the nature of the ultimate effect produced by the motion be dependent, - whether that effect be a purely physical result, or a human work.

In so far then as, by the term cause, nothing more is meant to be designated than one alone of all those sets of co-operating circumstances; be the effect what it may, the cause can never of itself be adequate to the production o

f it; nor, between the quantum of the effect and the quantum of the cause, can any determinate proportion have place.

But, of the case in which, in the extent given to the import attributed to the word cause the whole assemblage of these influencing circumstances is taken into the account and comprised, it seems questionable whether so much as a single example would be to be found.

68
Similar Items
  • Title: [2 Oct. 1814 C Logic 16 1]
    Description: 2 Oct. 1814 C

    Logic

    16 1

    Ch.2. Ontology

    Entities classed

    50

    16

    Material, formal, efficient, final - by these in the language of the Aristotelian schools - by these even in the higher forms of common language so many different species of causes are considered as designated.

    Neither incapable of being applied to practice - nor of being ever applied with advantage, these distinctions present, in this place, a just claim to notice. The relation they bear to the foregoing expositions, will now be brought to view.

    Matter and form - both these, it has been seen, are necessary to existence, meaning to real and that physical existence to the existence of a physical body.

    1. By material cause is indicated the matter of the body in question, considered in so far as it is regarded as contributing to the production of the effect in question.

    2. By formal cause, the form of the same body.

    3. By efficient cause must be understood, in so far as any clear and distinct idea is attached to the term, the matter of some body or bodies: what is meant to be distinguished by it may, in general, be supposed to be the motion of that body, or assemblage of bodies, which is regarded as the principal motion, - the motion which has the principal share in the production of the effect.

    But to the production of the effect - meaning a physical effect - whatsoever it be, a correspondent and suitable disposition of the circumjacent non-moving bodies is not (it has been seen) less necessary than a correspondent and suitable motion, or aggregate of motions, on the part of the moving body.

    72
  • Title: [24 Sept. 1814 Chap V + Logic]
    Description: 24 Sept. 1814 Chap V +

    Logic

    Ch 4 Sec 5

    1

    Ch.2. Ontology

    Entities classed

    23

    17

    Subject - Object - Subject - {Concomitance} - {End}

    Groups of Concomitant entities considered and denominated in respect of their concomitancy.

    In the idea of an object the idea of some action or at any rate some motion seems to be constantly and [...?] /essentially/ involved. Where the object is a corporeal entity, it is a body towards which the body in motion moves: this body whether permanently or momentarily stands objected i.e. cast before that other body which moves.

    Even in the case of vision, in the instance of an object of sight, the relation is naturally the same; the only difference is that, in the case of vision, the moving bodies being the rays of light, the object instead of being the body towards which, is the body from which, the motion takes place.

    In the image /picture/ the tracing of which is the effect of the terms /names/ here in question the object is either on the same level with the source of motion, or above it: the subject, as in its literal sense the word subject imports, is below and under it.

    In the case of human action - a motion, real or fictitious considered as being produced by an exercise of the faculty of the will, on the part of a sensitive being, this action has, in every instance, for its cause, the desire and expectation of some good i.e. of some pleasure or exemption from some pain, and the entity, the good by which this desire has been produced, is in this case, if not the only object, an object, and, indeed, the ultimate object, the attainment of which is, in the performance of the action aimed at.

    45
  • Title: [30 Sept. 1814 Logic Chap VIII]
    Description: 30 Sept. 1814

    Logic

    Chap VIII B

    11

    Ch.2. Ontology

    Entities classed

    45

    11

    In relation to the result in question, considered in the character of an effect, suppose, at pleasure, any one body to be the prime or principal mover or agent, and the motion, the action, or the operation of it, to be the prime or principal cause.

    In no instance can any such cause be in operation, but it will happen to it to be, on all sides, encompassed and surrounded by circumstances.

    Those circumstances will be composed /consist/ of the state of the contiguous and surrounding bodies, in respect of motion or rest, form, colour, quantity, and the like.

    Among these some will appear to be exercising on the result a material operative influence: others not to be exercising such influence. Influential and influencing circumstances, uninfluential or uninfluencing circumstances; in one or other of these two classes of circumstances, taken together, will every circumstance by which it can happen to the principal agent or agents to be encompassed, be comprised /referred/.

    Promotive or obstructive - under one or other of these denominations may the whole assemblage of influential circumstances be comprised.

    Any circumstances that operate /act/ that are considered as acting /operating/ in the character of obstructive circumstances are termed in one word obstacles.

    67