30 Sept. 1814

Logic

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Ch.2. Ontology

Entities classed

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2

Terminating /Terminative/ and endless - under

Endless - and terminating - under one or other of these denominations may all motions, observed or /and/ observable be included.

Endless motions are those which have place among the bodies, (each of them considered in its totality) of which the visible universe is composed.

Termination are /To the class of terminating or terminative motions belong/ all those which have place in our planet, and to judge from analogy all those which have place in any other of the celestial bodies.

So far as the motions in question belong to the endless class, so far no such distinction, and, therefore, no such relation as that of cause and effect, seems to have place. Each body attracts towards it all the rest, and, were it to have place singly, the attraction thus exercised might be considered as if it operated in the character of a cause; but each body is attracted by every other, and, were it to have place singly, the attraction thus suffered might be considered in the character of an effect. But, in fact, the two words are but two different names for one and the same effect. In the case of motions that have place among the distinct bodies with which the surface of our earth is covered, action and causation are the phenomena exhibited by different bodies in the character of agents and patients. In the case of the celestial bodies, considered each in its totality, no such distinction has place. No such character as that of agent - no such character as that of patient, belongs separately to any one. They are each one of them agent and patient at the same time. No one exhibits more of agency, no one more of patiency, than any other.

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