The metaphysics of Sir William Hamilton : collected, arranged and abridged for the use of colleges and private students / by Francis Bowen.

  • Hamilton, William, Sir, 1788-1856.
Date:
1870
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The metaphysics of Sir William Hamilton : collected, arranged and abridged for the use of colleges and private students / by Francis Bowen. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School.

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    beyond the limit to which it of itself freely tends. To pro- mote our perfection is thus to promote our happiness ; for to cultivate fully and harmoniously our various faculties, is simply to enable them, by exercise, to energize longer and stronger without painful effort; that is, to afford us a larger amount of a higher quality of enjoyment. In considering the utihty of a branch of knowledge, it be- hooves us, in the first place, to estimate its value as viewed simply in itself; and, in the second, its value as viewed in rela- tion to other branches. Considered in itself, a science is valua- ble in proportion as its cultivation is immediately conducive to the mental improvement of the cultivator. This may be called its Absolute utility. Li relation to others, a science is valuable in proportion as its study is necessary for the prosecution of other branches of knowledge. This may be called its Relative utility. Absolute utility of two hinds — Subjective and Objective. — In the former point of view, that is, considered absolutely, or in itself, the philosophy of mind comprises two several utilities, according as it, 1°, Cultivates the mmd or knowing subject, by calling its faculties into exercise; and, 2°, Furnishes the mind with a certain complement of truths or objects of loiowledge. The former of these constitutes its Subjective, the latter its Objective utihty. These utilities are not the same, nor do they even stand to each other in any necessary proportion. As an individual may possess an ample magazine of knowledge, and stiU be little better than an intellectual barbarian, so the utility of one science may be chiefly seen in affording a greater num- ber of higher and more indisputable truths, — the utility of another in determining the faculties to a higher energy, and consequently to a higher education. There are few, I belie-v e, disposed to question the speculative dignity of mental science; but its practical utihty is not unfre- quently denied. To what, it is asked, is the science of mind conducive? Wliat are its uses? What is Practical Utility? — I am not one of those who ■hink that the importance of a study is sufficiently established ^lien ]'■ dignity is admitted ; for, holding that knowledge is