JB_806_236.xml

Title: [21 Aug 1815 B + A  Ch. Imperfection]

Description: 21 Aug 1815 B + A 

Ch. Imperfection Evidenciary

1

§. Marks of verity

This is [....?] Evidence?

§. Marks: or criterion of verity or [...?] circumstances attached to a narrative or statement by the individualizing and concomitant circumstance, the circumstances in which it was placed by which it was accompani ...

Marks or criterions of verity in the case of a discourse by any event, incident occurrence or state of things supposing it really to have had place will be sure to abide: these are certain circumstances with which in a proportion more or less considerable, as determined by the name or appellation employed in the designation of it, and which if the description given of it be effectually individualized, i.e. distinguished from all individual events or states of things capable of being designated by the same generic or specific names. The effect these collateral circumstances is—that, if, in relation to ony one of these heads the description given of the principal event or state of things in question is false, (the falsity of) the account given of the main or principal event, as designated by its appropriate generic or specific name will be seen to be false likewise.

Of these individualizing and these particularizing concomitant circumstances the greater the known number, the more difficult will it be in a statement which in respect of the main event or state of things is false and therefore in respect of these several circumstances if spoken of circumstances by which that event or state of things was accompanied, false likewise, shall never the less be taken for true. The greater the number of these circumstances the greater the more extensive is the surface exposed to detection in the case of falsity.

1.

Criterions of verity i.e. sources of detection in case of falsity, are individualizing

circumstances.

2.

The greater the number of those circumstances stated in the report as having had place, the greater the chance that if the report made of the principal fact be false the falsity of it will become manifest. The greater the quantity of surface exposed to detection and falsification.

JB_806_238.xml

Title: [21 Aug 1815 Jug True I Prolegomena]

Description: 21 Aug 1815

Jug True

I Prolegomena

Ch. Imperfection Evidentiary

3

§. Marks of verity

1. Essentially concomitant or individualizing circumstances—accidentally concomitant circumstances—to one or other of these two classes with every assignable concomitant circumstance it is believed to be found referable.

The essentially concomitant circumstances are the circumstances of place and time. These may also be stiled individualizing circumstances and that for the following reason.

1. No individual event or state of things whatever can have existence but it must exist in some determinate individual portion of time.

2. No individual event or state of things can have existence but it must exist in some determinate individual portion of space.

3. Take any portion of space no two individual atoms or aggregates of atoms of the same bulk can have placement in the same portion of time.

4. Thence it is that it is of some one individual body or portion of matter and no other, that any statement by which if that portion of matter is stated as occupying in that portion of time that portion of space can be true.

5. Hence it is that taken together, the circumstances of place and time may with relation to any and every event or state of things, be termed individualizing circumstances.

4.

Concomitant circumstances are

1. Essentially concomitant.

2. Accidentally concomitant.

5.

1. Essentially concomitant are those of place and time. These may be termed individualizing circumstances.

6.

Aphorisms respecting individualizing circumstances

1. No event or state of things can have had existence but in some determinate individual portion of space.

2. So of time.

3. In no individual portion of space can two portions of matter each of a bulk equal to it have had place at the same moment or atom of time.

7.

4. Hence to one an individual portion of matter and no other can a report ascribe the having at a given point of time occupied a given corespondent portion of space, and be true.

5. Hence these correspondent circumstances of place and time are with reference to each assignable event or state of things, individualizing circumstances.

JB_806_221.xml

Title: [28 Aug. 1815 Jug. True I. Prolegomena]

Description: 28 Aug. 1815

Jug. True

I. Prolegomena

Ch. Imperfections

Marks of Verity

8

Under this danger, (with this as with a [...?] hanging over his head) no man having a false story to circulate, will it is evident, so long as he can expect to find credence without it, be induced thus voluntarily to give individuality so much as to the bare supposed matter of fact, by any other consideration than that of absolute necessity—i.e. despair of gaining for the story sufficient credence upon any other terms. The very fact itself whatsoever it be that bears upon the particular point in question, and by which the particular purpose is to be answered the fact by the credence given to which the sinister profit thus sought so to be obtained—even this supposed fact when given will be given unaccompanied by its [...?] individualizing circumstances, by the circumstances necessary to bring it down from the state of a species of fact to the state of an individual and real matter of fact.

But if nothing less than the supposition of necessity will cause him to hazard upon so much as a single fact, this false cloathing, much less will he under any inferior purpose hazard with any such cloathing upon them, any collateral false and invented fact. For the greater the number of these collateral and individualized false facts brought as above into an individualized state, the greater is the number of chances of detection to which he will thus expose himself.

16 or 9

Under these dangers, necessity alone will engage a man to give individuality so much as to the principal fact, if the story be in toto a false one.

17 or 10

Still less to any ineffectual supposed accompanying circumstances. The greater their number the greater the number of chances of detection.