an enquiry concerning human understanding-第17章

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of　power　is　not　copied　from　any　sentiment　or　consciousness
of　power　within　ourselves；　when　we　give　rise　to　animal
motion；　or　apply　our　limbs　to　their　proper　use　and　office。
That　their　motion　follows　the　command　of　the　will　is　a
matter　of　common　experience；　like　other　natural　events：　But
the　power　or　energy　by　which　this　is　effected；　like　that　in
other　natural　events；　is　unknown　and　inconceivable。＇17＇
Shall　we　then　assert；　that　we　are　conscious　of　a　power　or
energy　in　our　own　minds；　when；　by　an　act　or　command　of　our
will；　we　raise　up　a　new　idea；　fix　the　mind　to　the
contemplation　of　it；　turn　it　on　all　sides；　and　at　last
dismiss　it　for　some　other　idea；　when　we　think　that　we　have
surveyed　it　with　sufficient　accuracy？　I　believe　the　same
arguments　will　prove；　that　even　this　command　of　the　will
gives　us　no　real　idea　of　force　or　energy。

　　　　　；　It　must　be　allowed；　that；　when　we　know　a
power；　we　know　that　very　circumstance　in　the　cause；　by　which
it　is　enabled　to　produce　the　effect：　For　these　are　supposed
to　be　synonymous。　We　must；　therefore；　know　both　the　cause
and　effect；　and　the　relation　between　them。　But　do　we　pretend
to　be　acquainted　with　the　nature　of　the　human　soul　and　the
nature　of　an　idea；　or　the　aptitude　of　the　one　to　produce　the
other？　This　is　a　real　creation；　a　production　of　something
out　of　nothing：　Which　implies　a　power　so　great；　that　it　may
seem；　at　first　sight；　beyond　the　reach　of　any　being；　less
than　infinite。　At　least　it　must　be　owned；　that　such　a　power
is　not　felt；　nor　known；　nor　even　conceivable　by　the　mind。　We
only　feel　the　event；　namely；　the　existence　of　an　idea；
consequent　to　a　command　of　the　will：　But　the　manner；　in
which　this　operation　is　performed；　the　power　by　which　it　is
produced；　is　entirely　beyond　our　comprehension。


　　　　　；　The　command　of　the　mind　over　itself　is
limited；　as　well　as　its　command　over　the　body；　and　these
limits　are　not　known　by　reason；　or　any　acquaintance　with　the
nature　of　cause　and　effect；　but　only　by　experience　and
observation；　as　in　all　other　natural　events　and　in　the
operation　of　external　objects。　Our　authority　over　our
sentiments　and　passions　is　much　weaker　than　that　over　our
ideas；　and　even　the　latter　authority　is　circumscribed　within
very　narrow　boundaries。　Will　any　one　pretend　to　assign　the
ultimate　reason　of　these　boundaries；　or　show　why　the　power
is　deficient　in　one　case；　not　in　another。

　　　　　；　This　self…command　is　very　different　at
different　times。　A　man　in　health　possesses　more　of　it　than
one　languishing　with　sickness。　We　are　more　master　of　our
thoughts　in　the　morning　than　in　the　evening：　Fasting；　than
after　a　full　meal。　Can　we　give　any　reason　for　these
variations；　except　experience？　Where　then　is　the　power；　of
which　we　pretend　to　be　conscious？　Is　there　not　here；　either
in　a　spiritual　or　material　substance；　or　both；　some　secret
mechanism　or　structure　of　parts；　upon　which　the　effect
depends；　and　which；　being　entirely　unknown　to　us；　renders
the　power　or　energy　of　the　will　equally　unknown　and
incomprehensible？

　　　　　Volition　is　surely　an　act　of　the　mind；　with　which　we
are　sufficiently　acquainted。　Reflect　upon　it。　Consider　it　on
all　sides。　Do　you　find　any　thing　in　it　like　this　creative
power；　by　which　it　raises　from　nothing　a　new　idea；　and　with
a　kind　of　F/IAT；　imitates　the　omnipotence　of　its　Maker；　if
I　may　be　allowed　so　to　speak；　who　called　forth　into
existence　all　the　various　scenes　of　nature？　So　far　from
being　conscious　of　this　energy　in　the　will；　it　requires　as
certain　experience　as　that　of　which　we　are　possessed；　to
convince　us　that　such　extraordinary　effects　do　ever　result
from　a　simple　act　of　volition。

　　　　　The　generality　of　mankind　never　find　any　difficulty　in
accounting　for　the　more　common　and　familiar　operations　of
nature　　such　as　the　descent　of　heavy　bodies；　the　growth　of
plants；　the　generation　of　animals；　or　the　nourishment　of
bodies　by　food：　But　suppose　that；　in　all　these　cases；　they
perceive　the　very　force　or　energy　of　the　cause；　by　which　it
is　connected　with　its　effect；　and　is　for　ever　infallible　in
its　operation。　They　acquire；　by　long　habit；　such　a　turn　of
mind；　that；　upon　the　appearance　of　the　cause；　they
immediately　expect　with　assurance　its　usual　attendant；　and
hardly　conceive　it　possible　that　any　other　event　could
result　from　it。　It　is　only　on　the　discovery　of　extraordinary
phaenomena；　such　as　earthquakes；　pestilence；　and　prodigies
of　any　kind；　that　they　find　themselves　at　a　loss　to　assign　a
proper　cause；　and　to　explain　the　manner　in　which　the　effect
is　produced　by　it。　It　is　usual　for　men；　in　such　difficulties
to　have　recourse　to　some　invisible　intelligent　principle＇18＇
as　the　immediate　cause　of　that　event　which　surprises　them；
and　which；　they　think；　cannot　be　accounted　for　from　the
common　powers　of　nature。　But　philosophers；　who　carry　their
scrutiny　a　little　farther；　immediately　perceive　that；　even
in　the　most　familiar　events；　the　energy　of　the　cause　is　as
unintelligible　as　in　the　most　unusual；　and　that　we　only
learn　by　experience　the　frequent　C/ONJUNCTION　of　objects；
without　being　ever　able　to　comprehend　any　thing　like
C/ONNEXION　between　them。　Here；　then；　many　philosophers
think　themselves　obliged　by　reason　to　have　recourse；　on　all
occasions；　to　the　same　principle；　which　the　vulgar　never
appeal　to　but　in　cases　that　appear　miraculous　and
supernatural。　They　acknowledge　mind　and　intelligence　to　be；
not　only　the　ultimate　and　original　cause　of　all　things；　but
the　immediate　and　sole　cause　of　every　event　which　appears　in
nature。　They　pretend　that　those　objects　which　are　commonly
denominated　；　are　in　reality　nothing　but
；　and　that　the　true　and　direct　principle　of　every
effect　is　not　any　power　or　force　in　nature；　but　a　volition
of　the　Supreme　Being；　who　wills　that　such　particular　objects
should　for　ever　be　conjoined　with　each　other。　Instead　of
saying　that　one　billiard…ball　moves　another　by　a　force　which
it　has　derived　from　the　author　of　nature；　it　is　the　Deity
himself；　they　say；　who；　by　a　particular　volition；　moves　the
second　ball；　being　determined　to　this　operation　by　the
impulse　of　the　first　ball；　in　consequence　of　those　general
laws　which　he　has　laid　down　to　himself　in　the　government　of
the　universe。　But　philosophers　advancing　still　in　their
inquiries；　discover　that；　as　we　are　totally　ignorant　of　the
power　on　which　depends　the　mutual　operation　of　bodies；　we
are　no　less　ignorant　of　that　power　on　which　depends　the
operation　of　mind　on　body；　or　of　body　on　mind；　nor　are　we
able；　either　from　our　senses　or　consciousness；　to　assign　the
ultimate　principle　in　one　case　more　than　in　the　other。　The
same　ignorance；　therefore；　reduces　them　to　the　same
conclusion。　They　assert　that　the　Deity　is　the　immediate
cause　of　the　union　between　soul　and　body；　and　that　they　are
not　the　organs　of　sense；　which；　being　agitated　by　external
objects；　produce　sensations　in　the　mind；　but　that　it　is　a
particular　volition　of　our　omnipotent　Maker；　which　excites
such　a　sensation；　in　consequence　of　such　a　motion　in　the
organ。　In　like　manner；　it　is　not　any　energy　in　the　will　that
produces　local　motion　in　our　members：　It　is　God　himself；　who
is　pleased　to　second　our　will；　in　itself　impotent；　and　to
command　that　motion　which　we　erroneously　attribute　to　our
own　power　and　efficacy。　Nor　do　philosophers　stop　at　this
conclusion。　They　sometimes　extend　the　same　inference　to　the
mind　itself；　in　its　internal　operations。　Our　mental　vision
or　conception　of　ideas　is　nothing　but　a　revelation　made　to
us　by　our　Maker。　When　we　voluntarily　turn　our　thoughts　to
any　object；　and　raise　up　its　image　in　the　fancy；　it　is　not
the　will　which　creates　that　idea：　It　is　the　universal
Creator；　who　discovers　it　to　the　mind；　and　renders　it
present　to　us。

　　　　　Thus；　according　to　these　philosophers；　every　thing　is
full　of　God。　Not　content　with　the　principle；　that　nothing
exists　but　by　his　will；　that　nothing　possesses　any　power　but
by　his　concession：　They　rob　nature；　and　all　created　beings；
of　every　power；　in　order　to　render　their　dependence　on　the
Deity　still　more　sensible　and　immediate。　They　consider　not
that；　by　this　theory；　they　diminish；　instead　of　magn