Outlines of Moral Philosophy, for the use of Students in the University of Edinburgh

Preface

. JVIy principal object, in this publication, is to exhibit such a view of the Arrangement of my Lectures, as may fa cilitate the studies of those to whom they are addressed. In a course which employs more than five months, and which necessarily includes a great va riety of disquisitions, it is difficult for a hearer to retain a steady idea of the train of thought leading from one subject to another; and, of consequence, the lec tures, by assuming the appearance of de tached discourses, are in danger of losing the advantages arising from connexion and method. The following Outlines will, I hope, not only obviate this incona 3 vemence j ( vi .) venience ; but will allow me, in future, a greater latitude of illustration and di gression, than I could have indulged my self in with propriety, so long as my stu dents' were left to investigate the chain of my doctrines by their own reflections.

In the execution of this design, I have attempted, at the fame time, to state, under each head, a few fundamental principles, which I was either anxious to impress on the memory of my hear ers ; or which I thought might be useful to them, by relieving their attention du ring the discussion of a long or a difficult argument. The branch of Moral Philosophy which relates to the Principles of Po litics being less abstract than the others, I have contented myself with a simple enumeration of the most important articles ) tides treated of in the third part of my course. It is scarcely necessary for me to mention, that, in this enumeration, I have not aimed at any thing approach ing to systematical arrangement ; and that, in illustrating the titles it con tains, I am obliged, by the term pre scribed to my academical labours, to confine myself to very general sketches.

As soon as my other engagements al low me sufficient leisure for such an undertaking, I shall attempt a separate course of lectures on this very exten sive and difficult subject. With respect to my general plan, those who are in the smallest degree, conversant with Ethical writers, will perceive, that, in its formation, I have been guided almost entirely by the train of my own speculations. In following a 4 the ) the order which these prescribed, I was far from proceeding on. the supposition, that it was likely to possess, in the opinion of the public, advantages over the arrangements already proposed : but it appeared to me reasonable to think, that a plan resulting from my own habits of thought, would probably be better exe cuted in my hands, than any one, how perfect soever, suggested by the views of another.

Ducald Stewart. Colleoe of Edinburgh, "I Nov. 8. 1793. J P. S. — Having, of late, carried into execution, (at least in part), the design announced in the foregoing Preface, by an annual course of Lectures on Political ( fc ) cal Oeconomy, I have omitted, in this Edition of my Outlines, the Articles which I formerly enumerated under that general title ; substituting in their stead, a few others, calculated to illustrate the peculiar and intimate connexion between this department of Politics and the more appropriate objects of Ethics. The observations which these articles are meant to introduce, may be useful, at the same tjme, in preparing the minds of Stu dents for disquisitions, the details of which can scarcely fail to appear unin viting to those, who are not aware of the important conclusions to which they are subservient. Nov. %• 1801. CON- CONTENTS.

Introduction

. Sect. Page. I. Of the Object of Philosophy, and the Method of prosecuting Philosophical Inquiries I II. Application of the foregoing Principles to the Philosophy of the Human Mind - 7 III. Causes of the flow Progress of Human Knowledge ; more particularly of the Philosophy of the Human Mind, and of the Sciences immediately connected with it - - 9 SUBJECT AND ARRANGEMENT OF THIS TREATISE. ■ ■■■■ m., —

Part I

of the intellectual powers of man. Sect. I. Of Consciousness - - -. - 18 II. Of the Powers of external Perception - 20 Art. 1st. Of the Laws of Perception in the c.ife of our different Senses 20 Art, ad. Of Perception in general - CONTENTS. Sect. Page. HI. Of Attention - - - - 37 IV. Of Conception - - - - - 39 V. Of Abstraction .... 41 VI. Of the Association of Ideas - - 45 VII. Of Memory 50 VIII. Of Imagination - . 5a IX. Of Judgment and Reasoning - - 54 1. Of Intuitive Evidence - - 55 2. Of Deductive Evidence - - 57 X. Of Intellectual Powers and Capacities, formed by particular Habits of Study or of Business - - - 62 XI. Of certain auxiliary Faculties and Principles essential to our intellectual Improvement, or intimately connected with it - - 68 1. Of Language - - - 69 2. Of the Principle of Imitation - 72 XII. Of the Intellectual Faculties of Man, as contrasted with the Instincts of the Brutes 75