Volume 1

The history of philosophy from the earliest times to the beginning of the present century; drawn up from Brucker's Historia critica philosophiae / By William Enfield.

  • William Enfield
Date:
1791
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The history of philosophy from the earliest times to the beginning of the present century; drawn up from Brucker's Historia critica philosophiae / By William Enfield. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    fion of happinefs are two, reafon and revelation. To inftrudt men in thofe truths which God hath communicated to mankind by revela- tion, is the province of theology. To teach them fuch truths, con- nedled with their happinefs, as are capable of being difcovered by the powers of reafon, is the province of philofophy. Thefe two pro- vinces are perfectly diftindl, and ought to be kept feparate, except where the one may occafionally ferve to call light upon the other. The leading offices of philofophy maybe eaffiy deduced from the ge- neral idea of its objedt. For if the end to be attained be the permanent enjoyment of real good, it muft unqueftionably be the bufmefs of philofophy, to inveftigate the nature of good, and the means by which it may be acquired, and fo to form and improve the whole man, that he may arrive at the complete poffeffion of true felicity. Con- fequently, the bufmefs of philofophy will be, to cultivate the un- derftanding, and point out the manner in which it may beft perform its operations; to corredl and meliorate the will and affedtions, by difcovering what objedts are dehrable, comparing their refpedtive claims, and fhewing how they may be rendered mofl produdtive of happinefs} to inquire into the caufes of natural appearances, and hence arrive at the knowledge of the Firll; Caufe, under thofe cha-- radlers and relations which are moft interefting to mankindto con- dudt men to fuch an acquaintance with the properties of natural bodies, and their reciprocal adlions, as fhall enable them to apply the objedls around them to their own convenience; and finally, to affift them in inveftigating the principles of focial virtue, and to provide them with fuch rules of condudt, as arife from mutual con- venience and intereft, from the natural fentiments of juftice and humanity, and from the voluntary engagements of civil fociety. Dialedlics, phyfics, natural religion, ethics, and policy, are thus com- prehended under the general term, philofophy. How far this dif- tribution agrees with the arrangements adopted by the antients, and comprehends their feveral objedts of philofophical difcuffion, will appear in the fequel. From this explanation of the fenfe in which we underfiand the term
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