Wisdom

We all know Post Date: Mon, 4 Aug 2008 17:36:58 +0000
It is probable that men see the same magnitudes very differently according to the disposition of their eyes. No one is ignorant that this happens when the objects are at a distance ; for, then, one ees clearly what another cannot even distinguish ; to one it is a surface, while to another it is not even so much as a point. We all know what a great variety there is in the size of objects when looked at through differently graduated glasses.

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The construction of the eye Post Date: Mon, 4 Aug 2008 17:54:26 +0000
From all this we conclude that there is nothing fixed in phenomenal magni tude; but that every thing is subject to continual changes. When we look through a microscope objects which were before invisible, take large dimensions ; and as the micros cope may be infinitely perfected, it is not absurd to sup pose that there are animals to whom what is invisible to us appears larger than the whole earth. The construction of the eye may also be considered in an inverse sense, and as infinite perfection is also passible in this case, it is possible that magnitudes which to us are immense may be invisible to other beings.

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148 It must now Post Date: Mon, 4 Aug 2008 18:12:58 +0000
To this eye of colossal vision the terres trial globe would perhaps be an imperceptible atom. This is no more than what happens by the interposition of dis tance ; immense masses in the firmament seem to us to be only small specks of light. 148 It must now be very evident that there is nothing absolute in magnitudes of sight ; but that all is relative, and that objects appear to us greater or less, according to habit, the construction of our organs, and other circumstances.

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The sense of touch gives Post Date: Mon, 4 Aug 2008 18:28:42 +0000
The variety of appearances is in accordance with philoso phy ; since no necessary relation can be discovered between, the size of the organ and the object. What connection is there between a narrow surface like the retina of our eye and the immense surfaces which are painted on it ? 149 From sight we may pass to touch, but we find no reason of the fixity of phenomenal magnitude. The sense of touch gives us the ideas of magnitudes by relation to the time it takes to pass over them, and to the velocity of our motion.

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All these ideas are correlative Post Date: Mon, 4 Aug 2008 18:44:36 +0000
The ideas of time and velocity are also rela tive ; they refer to the space passed over. When we mea sure velocity we say that it is the space divided by the time; in measuring time we say that it is the space divided by the velocity ; and we measure space by multiplying the velocity by the time. All these ideas are correlative, and are measured by each other, and by their mutual relations.

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If for example we propose Post Date: Mon, 4 Aug 2008 18:55:08 +0000
This shows that these ideas have nothing absolute ; their whole character is that of a relation which is incomplete, or rather does not exist, if one of the terms is wanting. We shall find it equally impossible to determine these measures by the impressions which the motion causes in us. If for example we propose to measure the degree of velocity, by the agitation which we feel in our body, we shall find that the measure varies with the agitation, but this agitation depends on the degree of force exerted, and still more on the strength of the subject.

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The distance which a horse Post Date: Mon, 4 Aug 2008 19:13:43 +0000
Thus a little child is obliged to run till he is almost out of breath, to keep up with his father who is walking fast. The impossibility of any fixed measure by means of impressions will be still more apparent if we compare the motion of a horse with the motion of a microscopic animal. The distance which a horse would pass over almost without any sensible motion, would require the microscopic animal to display its whole activity, and run perhaps a whole day.

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151 Art seems Post Date: Mon, 4 Aug 2008 19:26:02 +0000
The horse would scarce believe he had changed his place, whereas the poor animalcule would at night be overcome by fatigue like one who has travelled a long journey. Compare now the motion of the horse with the motion of those fabulous giants who piled up mountains to scale the heavens ; a single step of one of those giants would be a long distance for the horse to travel. 151 Art seems to be in accordance with science on this point.

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We see the system Post Date: Mon, 4 Aug 2008 19:41:11 +0000
In art, size is nothing, the only thing which is re garded is the proportion or relation. A skilful miniature represents a person as clearly as a painting the size of life, The same principle is applied to all the objects embraced by art, the artistic thought never refers directly to the size ; proportion, the relative is all that is attended to ; the abso lute counts for nothing. We see the system of relations transferred to the order of appearances, in so far as they affect the faculties susceptible of pleasure ; reason is thus admirably harmonized with sentiment, in the same manner as we ha ve found intellect harmonized with the senses.

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The nature of a being Post Date: Mon, 4 Aug 2008 19:59:18 +0000
152 OBJECTS in themselves do not change their nature, by the variety of appearances which they produce in us. A polygon turning with rapidity has the appearance of a circle ; the stars appear like small points ; and considering the various classes of objects, we may observe that there is a great variety of appearances depending on circumstances. The nature of a being does not consist in what it ap pears, but in what it is.

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