SECT. VII. OF ABSTRACT IDEAS.
A very material question has been started concerning ABSTRACT or
GENERAL ideas, WHETHER THEY BE GENERAL OR PARTICULAR IN THE MIND'S
CONCEPTION OF THEM. A great philosopher [3] has disputed the received
opinion in this particular, and has asserted, that all general ideas
are nothing but particular ones, annexed to a certain term, which gives
them a more extensive signification, and makes them recall upon
occasion other individuals, which are similar to them. As I look upon
this to be one of the greatest and most valuable discoveries that has
been made of late years in the republic of letters, I shall here
endeavour to confirm it by some arguments, which I hope will put it
beyond all doubt and controversy.
A very material question has been started concerning ABSTRACT or
GENERAL ideas, WHETHER THEY BE GENERAL OR PARTICULAR IN THE MIND'S
CONCEPTION OF THEM. A great philosopher [3] has disputed the received
opinion in this particular, and has asserted, that all general ideas
are nothing but particular ones, annexed to a certain term, which gives
them a more extensive signification, and makes them recall upon
occasion other individuals, which are similar to them. As I look upon
this to be one of the greatest and most valuable discoveries that has
been made of late years in the republic of letters, I shall here
endeavour to confirm it by some arguments, which I hope will put it
beyond all doubt and controversy.
[3] Dr. Berkeley. [Introd.: to ‘Principles of Human Knowledge,’
secs. 18 &c. Cf. also Introd. to this volume paragraphs 183 and
ff.—Ed.]
secs. 18 &c. Cf. also Introd. to this volume paragraphs 183 and
ff.—Ed.]
It is evident, that in forming most of our general ideas, if not al