Chapter XXXIV

_Outline of European Philosophy in the Seventeenth Century,
and the early part of the Eighteenth._

⭘ Aim of the Chapter――Efforts of the human mind to attain
freedom, veneration for the opinions of antiquity: Power of
the Mind

⭘ Bruno a bold thinker; Reconstruction of the Universe, the unity
of being his fundamental principle――His system pantheistic
――Influence of his views on subsequent speculation

⭘ Influence of the Jesuits in France――Montaigne――Gassendi, the
reviver of Materialism: Atomism

⭘ Descartes, his achievements in Mathematics――Principles and
method of his Philosophy――His peculiar views touching the
organisation of man and the lower animals

⭘ His Meditations――a discussion of the fundamental principles of
Philosophy, the grounds on which we may doubt of all things:
The Mind itself more clearly known than any external object――An
idea of God in the Mind, the will the cause of error, all clear
and distinct conceptions are true, as God cannot be the cause of
error――All truth depends on the knowledge of God

⭘ His theory of the Universe, conception of God, and definition
of substance; Doctrine of continuous creation――Criterion of
Truth

⭘ His Psychology――Relation of the Mind to the objects of its
knowledge, theory of mediate perception――Innate Ideas――His
Ethical views――Influence of his Philosophy on subsequent
speculation

⭘ Spinoza――Chief characteristics of his Philosophy――His Ethics,
method of his system, definitions and axioms; conclusions
touching God and the Universe

⭘ The Human Mind and Body; three degrees of cognition――opinion,
reason, and intuition; reason considers things as necessary
under a form of Eternity: There is no Free-will

⭘ Affections and Emotions, Desire and Appetite――The Primary
Affections――Man unable to restrain his passions――There is no
final causes, as God exists of necessity, so does He act――Good
and Evil: The highest virtue, and the supreme good is to know
God――All that tends to the order and amity of society is good

⭘ Relation of Emotion and Reason――The Love of God ought chiefly
to fill the Mind――The Essence of the Mind Eternal――The
Knowledge of God and the Intellectual Love of God the highest
Virtue――The understanding an eternal mode of thought――Result
of his system, its defects――Its influence on subsequent
speculation

⭘ Leibnitz wrote on many Subjects――His Method of Philosophising
――Theory of Monads――Pre-established Harmony――Bayle

⭘ English Philosophy――Bacon’s Method, his Merit; Influence of his
Writings

⭘ Lord Herbert of Cherbury――His Speculations on Mental Philosophy
and Religion

⭘ Hobbes’ views influenced by the struggles of his time――His
conception of Philosophy, Reasoning, the use and value of words

⭘ His idea of motion, Psychology――origin of sensation, ideas
and thought, connection of ideas, trains of thought――The will,
emotions and passions

⭘ Hobbes’ political and ethical views――Original state of mankind;
Origin of Government――Powers of the Sovereign and the State
――The Civil Law the Standard of Right and Wrong

⭘ Milton’s Political Writings, defence of the Commonwealth――James
Harrington’s Writings

⭘ Bishop Cumberland’s Ethical Theory――Cudworth’s Intellectual
System of the Universe――More’s Moral Views

⭘ Locke――Fundamental principles of his Psychology――Refutation of
the doctrine of innate Ideas, no innate idea of God

⭘ Origin of ideas, simple and complex ideas, no clear idea of
substance――Relations, true and false ideas――Association of
ideas

⭘ Language as the medium of expressing thought――The degrees and
limits of human knowledge――Knowledge consists in the perception
of the agreement or disagreement of ideas――The existence of God
――The provinces of faith and reason――Locke’s main inconsistency
――Value of his Essay――Causes of the success of Locke’s views

⭘ English Deism――Toland, Collins, Tindal

⭘ Shaftesbury’s conception of God――Disinterested affection
――Influence of his views――His style

⭘ Dr. Clarke’s Moral Theory――Berkeley’s Idealism――His style
――Conclusion

THE
HISTORY OF CIVILISATION IN SCOTLAND.

Illustration: (‡ decoration)