25 Sept. 1814 Chap. 2. +

Logic

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Ch.2. Ontology

Entities classed

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1. Absolute fictitious entities of the first order.

1. Matter. 2. Form. 3. Quantity. 4. Space.

No substance can exist but it must be itself matter; be of a certain determinate form - be or exist in a certain determinate quantity; and, were there but one substance in existence, all these three attributes would belong to it.

1. Matter. At first view matter may naturally enough be considered as exactly synonymous to the word substance.

It may undoubtedly with propriety be employed instead of substance on many of the occasions on which the word substance may, with equal propriety, be employed.

But there are occasions on which while substance may, matter can not, with propriety be employed.

By the word substance, substances incorporeal as well as corporeal are wont to be designated; the word matter is wont to be employed to designate corporeal, to the exclusion of incorporeal substances.

On the other hand, neither are occasions wanting in which, while the word matter may, the word substance can not with propriety be employed.

Matter is wont to be employed in contradistinction to form; and that on occasions in which the word substance can not with propriety be employed. Thus, in considering substance any individual substance, consideration may be had of its matter, without any consideration had of its form without its matter.

Thus it is, that, taken in that sense which is peculiar to it, the idea attached to the word matter cannot, by means of that word, be brought to view without bringing to view along with it, the idea of another entity called form: and this is the reason why, along with form, it has been considered as composing a group of entities distinct from the sort of entity, for the designation of which the word substance has been employed.

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