Wisdom

(15) THE word instinct Post Date: Thu, 7 Aug 2008 12:37:24 +0000
We have given this distinction in order that the examination of a truth fundamental among purely ideal truths might not remain incomplete. But its explanation and foundation will be given in our treatise on the ideas of space and extension. (15) THE word instinct, when applied to the intellect, is clearly taken in a different sense than it is when applied to irrational ani mals.

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" The Latin, instinctus, means inspiration Post Date: Thu, 7 Aug 2008 12:52:23 +0000
It has here no ignoble meaning ; and this is in accordance with the use made of it when divine things arc spoken of. One meaning given it by the dictionary is, impulse, or movement of the Holy Ghost, in speaking of supernatural inspirations." The Latin, instinctus, means inspiration.

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We first suppose there must Post Date: Thu, 7 Aug 2008 13:03:24 +0000
Thus : " Sacro rnens instincta furore." (16) THE confusion of ideas upon this point originates in that ten dency to unity of which we spoke in our Fourth Chapter. We first suppose there must be one only principle, and we ask what it is ; whereas, before inquiring what it is, we should ascertain if there be one only, as is supposed.

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(17) WE hare, we think Post Date: Thu, 7 Aug 2008 13:19:46 +0000
We have already seen that Fichte s system rested on the same supposition. Thus the cause of innocent disputes in the schools may lead to more transcendental errors. (17) WE hare, we think, faithfully interpreted the thought of Des cartes, but lest there should be some doubt as to this, we subjoin a notable passage from his answer to the objections collected by Pere Mersenne from various philosophers and theologians, against the Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Meditations.

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" Descartes does not always explain Post Date: Thu, 7 Aug 2008 13:32:39 +0000
"Wrhen we know that we are something that thinks, this first notion is taken from no syllogisms ; and when any one says : think, therefore I am, or exist, he does not infer his existence from thought, as by the force of a syllogism, but as a thing known by itself; he sees it by a simple inspection of the mind; for if he deduced it from a syllo gism, he would have to know beforehand this major ; whatever thinks, is, or exists. On the contrary, this proposition is manifested to him by his own sentiment that he cannot think without existing, ft is a property characteristic of our mind to form general propositions from the knowledge of particular propositions." Descartes does not always explain himself with this clearness ; the objections of his adversaries made him examine his doctrine more thoroughly, and this contributed to clear up his ideas.

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But I immediately observed that Post Date: Thu, 7 Aug 2008 13:51:06 +0000
(18) To form an accurate estimate of Descartes views, let us listen to his own explanation of his system. As the senses sometimes deceive us, I wished to suppose that noth ing of what they make us imagine appeared ; as there are men who are deceived, and make paralogisms even when reasoning upon the simplest matters of geometry, I judged myself as liable to err as they are, and I rejected as false all those reasons I had before held to be demonstrations ; and also considering that even the thoughts which we have while awake may come to us while asleep, although no on of them may be true, I resolved to feign that all things which had entered my rnind contained no more truth than illusory dreams. But I immediately observed that, while I wished to think that everything was false, it was necessary for me, who thought this, to be something ; and, noting that this truth : I think, therefore I am, was so firm and secure, that the most extravagant suppositions could not shake it, I judged that I might, without scruple, receive it as the first truth of philosophy.

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In his reply Post Date: Thu, 7 Aug 2008 14:09:23 +0000
" Discours sur la Methode. We said that the doubt of Descartes was a supposition, a fiction, and these are the very terms he himself uses. In his reply to the ob jections of Pere Mersenne, we find the following confirmatory extract : I have read with great satisfaction your observations upon my treat ise on philosophy, for they show your good-will towards me, your piety towards God, and your zeal for the advance of his glory.

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" Post Date: Thu, 7 Aug 2008 14:24:45 +0000
I cannot but rejoice that you have judged my arguments worthy of your criti cism, but also that you say nothing not easily answerable. " In the first place, you remind me that I have rejected the ideas or phantasms of bodies, not truly, but only by a mere fiction, in order to conclude that I am something that thinks, fearing, perhaps, that I should believe it followed from this that I am only something that thinks ; but I have already shown, in my Second Meditation, that I agreed with this, and I said : But these things, which I suppose not to be, because I do not know them, may riot really be any thing different from me who know them ; of this I can say nothing, I have at present nothing to do with it. " We here see that Descartes did riot deny his doubt to be a mere fiction ; he even says that he does nothing but apply a method, the necessity of which all philosophers admit.

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Descartes plainly says so Post Date: Thu, 7 Aug 2008 14:38:04 +0000
" I pray you," he continues, " to remember that with respect to mat ters of the will, I have always made a broad distinction between the contemplation of truth and the uses of life ; as regards the latter, I am so far from thinking that we must follow only things very clearly known, that I believe we must not always consider even what is most proba ble, but that we must, among things wholly unknown or uncertain, sometimes choose one, and hold firmly to it, so long as we see no rea son for not doing so, just as if we had chosen it from evident and cer tain motives, as I have already explained in the Discours sur la Mtthode ; but when we treat only of the contemplation of truth, who ever doubted that it was necessary to suspend the judgment upon things that are obscure or not distinctly known . " In what, then, consists Descartes merit? In having applied a rule known to all, and employed by few, and in so doing at the very time that prejudices in favor of the Aristotelian doctrine were the strongest. Descartes plainly says so ; his method of doubting is not new, only the application of it was wanting ; for, as regards its fundamental principle, " who ever doubted that it was necessary to suspend the judgment upon things that are obscure or not distinctly known?" Understanding Descartes method in this sense, that is, taking the doubt as a supposition, a mere fiction, it is not opposed to sound reli gious and moral principles.

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The first is, to observe Post Date: Thu, 7 Aug 2008 14:55:17 +0000
The profound philosopher does not seem to disdain to set his readers at rest upon this point ; he ingenuously shows, in commencing his investigations, that his religious belief was safe. " Finally, as before undertaking to rebuild the house wherein one lives, it is not enough to demolish the old one, and provide materials and workmen, or to exercise one s self in architecture, and to carefully trace the design of the new house ; but it is also necessary to have another house in which to live, while the new one is building; so that my actions might not be unresolved, like my judgments, and that I might, in the meantime, live as happily as possible, 1 made a provi sion for myself; it consists of three or four maxims. The first is, to observe the laws and customs of my country, and constantly to pre~ serve the religion in which, by the grace of God, I have been instructed from my infancy.

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