Elements of the philosophy of the human mind / By Dugald Stewart.

  • Dugald Stewart
Date:
1808
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Elements of the philosophy of the human mind / By Dugald Stewart. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    33/514 page 25
    other fcience whatever. Hence there is fomethlng in the ftudy of it, which is peculiarly gratifying to a relieving and inquifitive mind ; and fomething in the conclulions to which it leads, on which the mind refts with peculiar fatisfa6tion. Till once our opin- ions are in fome degree fixed with refpe£f to it, we abandon ourfelves, with reluctance, to particu- lar fcientific inveftigations; and on the other hand, a general knowledge of fuch of its principles as are moil fitted to excite the curiofity, not only prepares us for engaging in other purfuits with more liberal and comprehenfive views, but leaves us at liberty to profecute them with a more undivided and con- centrated attention. It is not, however, merely as a fubjeCl of fpecu- lative curiofity, that the principles of the human mind deferve a careful examination. The advan- tages to be expected from a fuccefsful analyfis of it are various ; and fome of them of fuch importance, as to render it aftonifhing, that, amidfi: all the fuc- cefs with which the fubordinate fciences have been cultivated, this, which comprehends the principles of all them, fhould be ftill fuffered to remain in its infancy. I fliall endeavour to iiluftrate a few of thefe ad- vantages, beginning with what appears to me to be the moll important of any ; the light, which a phi- lofbphical analyfis of the principles of the mind would neceffariiy throw, on the fubjeCfs ofinteUec- trial and moral education. The mofi: efiential objeCls of education are the tv/o following : Firft, to cultivate all the various principles of our nature, both fpeculative and ac- tive, in fuch a manner as to bring them to the greatefi: perfeCfion of which they are fufceptible ;. and. Secondly, by watching over the imprelfions and affociationswhich the mind receives in early life, to fecure it againfi: the influence of prevailing errors ; and, as far as poflibie, to engage its prepo£ D
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