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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