On human responsibility, as affected by phrenology.

  • George Combe
Date:
[1826]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On human responsibility, as affected by phrenology. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    ON HUMAN RESPONSIBILITY, AS AFFECTED BY PHRENOLOGY. Extract from Minute of the Phrenological Society, dated 2d February, 1826.— “ The Society having heard an ‘ Essay on Human Responsibility, as affect- “ ‘ ed by Phrenology,’ by Mr Combe, unanimously return him thanks for “ the communication ; request him to print and circulate the paper, and “ adjourn the consideration of it till next meeting, on Thursday evening, 16th “ February, at eight o’clock.” In the Essays on Phrenology, published in 1819, I adopted from Dr Spurzheim the doctrine of Free Will, and of Re- sponsibility founded on it. Objections were stated to this view which I could not remove: At the same time, it was obvious, that if Necessity were demonstrable by argument. Responsibility was certain as a fact; and how to recon- cile them, was a problem which for years I was unable to solve. On this account I omitted the subject of Will and Responsibility in all my subsequent publications. At last some ideas have occurred which promise to remove a few of the difficulties, and I now venture to present them to the Society for their consideration. Dr Spurzheim’s late excel- lent work on the “ Philosophical Principles of Phrenology” A