A collection of papers which passed between the late learned Mr. Leibnitz and Dr. Clarke in the years 1715 and 1716 relating to the principles of natural philosophy and religion / [In French and English] With an appendix. To which are added letters to Dr. Clarke concerning liberty and necessity; from a gentleman of the University of Cambridge [J. Bulkeley]: with the Doctor's answers to them. Also remarks upon a book entituled A philosophical enquiry concerning human liberty [by A. Collins] By Samuel Clarke.

Samuel Clarke

Date:: 1717

Credit: A collection of papers which passed between the late learned Mr. Leibnitz and Dr. Clarke in the years 1715 and 1716 relating to the principles of natural philosophy and religion / [In French and English] With an appendix. To which are added letters to Dr. Clarke concerning liberty and necessity; from a gentleman of the University of Cambridge [J. Bulkeley]: with the Doctor's answers to them. Also remarks upon a book entituled A philosophical enquiry concerning human liberty [by A. Collins] By Samuel Clarke. Source: Wellcome Collection.

464/490 page 28

08] nefs or capacity of judging of moral good and evil ■ and is vulgarly called Spontaneity. In Children, the fame Phyfical Liberty always is from the very Beginning -, And in propor¬ tion as they încreafe in Age, and in capaci¬ ty of Judging, they grow continually in Degree, not more Free0 but more Moral, Agents. His Second Argument to prove Alan a Ne- ce [fary Agent, is, cc becaufe all his A&ions 57- tc have a Leginning : Lor whatever has a Be- / cc ginning, ttnifl have a Caufe *5 cocTy “ , fr # Neceffary Caufe A * A- 82. gain: cc /f' -4/zy A3iùn whatfoever, can be cc without a Caufe 5 then EffeSls and tc Caufes have no neceffary relation, by cc conference we Jhould not be nece[drily de- 4C tertnined in anycafe at all A The Fallacy of This Argument, lies in the words, Necef¬ fary Caufe. ’Fis true/ that whatever has a Beginnings nmfl have a Caufe, 5Tis true al¬ io, that every Caufe is a Neceffary Caufe that is, that every adequate efficient Caufe, when it is fuppofed to operate, cannot but produce the EffeB, of which it is at That time an adequate efficient Caufe. But This is laying nothing more, than that any thing ma ft needs bey when it is fuptiofed that it is. Which is nothing to the Queftion about Li¬ berty and Neceffity. For the free Self-moving Lower, when it is fuppofed to exert itfelp,can¬ not

Licence and re-use

Contents