Entered according to an Act of Congress, in the year 1845, by ASA MAHAN, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States, for the Southern District of the State of New York. S. W. BENEDICT, DEDICATORY PREFACE. THE following Treatise presents the sum of a course of Lectures, which, for six or eight years past, I have been in the habit of delivering to successive classes, on the subject of Intellectual Philosophy. One thing I may say in relation to this subject, without boasting. No class have yet passed through this course, without becoming deeply interested in the science of Mental Philosophy; and, in their judgment, receiving great benefit from the truths developed, as well as from the method of development which was adopted. Hence the desire has been very generally expressed by those who have attended the course of instruction, as well as by others who have become acquainted with the general features of the system taught, to have it presented to the public in a form adapted to popular reading. In conformity to such suggestions, as well as to the permanent convictions of my own mind, the following Treatise has been prepared. In preparing it, it has been my aim to reject light from no source whatever from which it could be obtained, and at the same time to maintain the real prerogative of manly independence of thought. The individuals to whom I feel. most indebted as a philosopher, are Coleridge, Cousin, and Kant-three luminaries of the first order in the sphere of philosophy. How far proper discriminations have been made in the study of their works, the reader will be able to judge. With these remarks, I would simply add, that TO THE BELOVED AND HONORED PUPILS, WHO HAVE HITHERTO PASSED FROM UNDER MY INSTRUCTION AS A TEACHER OF MENTAL SCIENCE, THE FOLLOWING TREATISE IS NOW AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED, WITH THE EXPRESSION OF THE FOND HOPE, THAT IN ALL FUTURE CLASSES, WHICH IT MAY BE MY PRIVILEGE TO INSTRUCT, I MAY, IN THE LANGUAGE OF ANOTHER, FIND THE SAME LOVE OF PHILOSOPHY, AND THE SAME INDULGENCE TO THE PROFESSOR." CONTENTS. Classification of the Sciences-Object of Mental Philosophy- What is to be expected from such Investigations-Mental Phi- losophy, as a Science, possible-The Method in conformity to which Psychological Researches should be conducted-The above the only correct Psychological Method-Utility of this Science-State of Mind requisite to a successful prosecution of Mental Faculties indicated by the phenomena above classified- Idea of Body contingent-Idea of Space necessary-Other cha- racteristics of these two Ideas-Idea of Body relative-Idea of Space absolute-Idea of Body implies that of Limitation-Idea of Space implies the absence of Limitation-Idea of Body, a sen- sible representation-Idea of Space a pure rational conception. Ideas of Succession, and Time, or Duration. Idea of Succession contingent-The Idea of Time necessary- Other Characteristics of these Ideas. Ideas of the Finite and of the Infinite. Remarks of Locke-Characteristics of these Ideas-Idea of Fi- nite contingent and relative; that of the Infinite necessary and Ideas of Mental Phenomena, and of Personal Identity. Idea of Mental Phenomena contingent and relative—Idea of Per- sonal Identity necessary-Necessary ideas distinguished as con- Ideas of Phenomena and Substance. Idea of substance explained-Idea of Phenomena contingent and The idea of Events contingent and relative; that of Cause ne- Logical and Chronological order of Ideas. Logical order-Chronological order. Primary Intellectual Faculties pre-supposed by the preceding Analysis. These Faculties why called Primary-Also called Intuitive Fa- culties-Relation of Primitive Intuitive Faculties to each other -Importance of the Truths above elucidated- Classification of Consciousness Defined-Self-Consciousness conditioned on Rea- son, but not a function of Reason-Natural, or spontaneous, and philosophical, or reflective Consciousness - Process of classifi- cation and Generalization in Reflection, illustrated-Functions of Consciousness-Necessity of relying implicitly upon the |