an enquiry concerning human understanding-第31节

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any　connexion　with　the　philosophical　disputes　concerning
metaphysics　and　religion。

　　　　　There　is　still　one　circumstance；　replied　I；　which　you
seem　to　have　overlooked。　Though　I　should　allow　your
premises；　I　must　deny　your　conclusion。　You　conclude；　that
religious　doctrines　and　reasonings　　have　no　influence
on　life；　because　they　　to　have　no　influence；　never
considering；　that　men　reason　not　in　the　same　manner　you　do；
but　draw　many　consequences　from　the　belief　of　a　divine
Existence；　and　suppose　that　the　Deity　will　inflict
punishments　on　vice；　and　bestow　rewards　on　virtue；　beyond
what　appear　in　the　ordinary　course　of　nature。　Whether　this
reasoning　of　theirs　be　just　or　not；　is　no　matter。　Its
influence　on　their　life　and　conduct　must　still　be　the　same。
And　those；　who　attempt　to　disabuse　them　of　such　prejudices；
may；　for　aught　I　know；　be　good　reasoners；　but　I　cannot　allow
them　to　be　good　citizens　and　politicians；　since　they　free
men　from　one　restraint　upon　their　passions；　and　make　the
infringement　of　the　laws　of　society；　in　one　respect；　more
easy　and　secure。

　　　　　After　all；　I　may；　perhaps；　agree　to　your　general
conclusion　in　favour　of　liberty；　though　upon　different
premises　from　those；　on　which　you　endeavour　to　found　it。　I
think；　that　the　state　ought　to　tolerate　every　principle　of
philosophy；　nor　is　there　an　instance；　that　any　government
has　suffered　in　its　political　interests　by　such　indulgence。
There　is　no　enthusiasm　among　philosophers；　their　doctrines
are　not　very　alluring　to　the　people；　and　no　restraint　can　be
put　upon　their　reasonings；　but　what　must　be　of　dangerous
consequence　to　the　sciences；　and　even　to　the　state；　by
paving　the　way　for　persecution　and　oppression　in　points；
where　the　generality　of　mankind　are　more　deeply　interested
and　concerned。

　　　　　But　there　occurs　to　me　（continued　I）　with　regard　to
your　main　topic；　a　difficulty；　which　I　shall　just　propose　to
you　without　insisting　on　it；　lest　it　lead　into　reasonings　of
too　nice　and　delicate　a　nature。　In　a　word；　I　much　doubt
whether　it　be　possible　for　a　cause　to　be　known　only　by　its
effect　（as　you　have　all　along　supposed）　or　to　be　of　so
singular　and　particular　a　nature　as　to　have　no　parallel　and
no　similarity　with　any　other　cause　or　object；　that　has　ever
fallen　under　our　observation。　It　is　only　when　two　
of　objects　are　found　to　be　constantly　conjoined；　that　we　can
infer　the　one　from　the　other；　and　were　an　effect　presented；
which　was　entirely　singular；　and　could　not　be　comprehended
under　any　known　；　I　do　not　see；　that　we　could　form
any　conjecture　or　inference　at　all　concerning　its　cause。　If
experience　and　observation　and　analogy　be；　indeed；　the　only
guides　which　we　can　reasonably　follow　in　inferences　of　this
nature；　both　the　effect　and　cause　must　bear　a　similarity　and
resemblance　to　other　effects　and　causes；　which　we　know；　and
which　we　have　found；　in　many　instances；　to　be　conjoined　with
each　other。　I　leave　it　to　your　own　reflection　to　pursue　the
consequences　of　this　principle。　I　shall　just　observe；　that；
as　the　antagonists　of　E/PICURUS　always　suppose　the
universe；　an　effect　quite　singular　and　unparalleled；　to　be
the　proof　of　a　Deity；　a　cause　no　less　singular　and
unparalleled；　your　reasonings；　upon　that　supposition；　seem；
at　least；　to　merit　our　attention。　There　is；　I　own；　some
difficulty；　how　we　can　ever　return　from　the　cause　to　the
effect；　and；　reasoning　from　our　ideas　of　the　former；　infer
any　alteration　on　the　latter；　or　any；　addition　to　it。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　*　*　*　*
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　SECTION　XII。
　　　　　　　　　Of　the　Academical　or　Sceptical　Philosophy。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　PART　I。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
　　　　　T/HERE　is　not　a　greater　number　of　philosophical
reasonings；　displayed　upon　any　subject；　than　those；　which
prove　the　existence　of　a　Deity；　and　refute　the　fallacies　of
；　and　yet　the　most　religious　philosophers　still
dispute　whether　any　man　can　be　so　blinded　as　to　be　a
speculative　atheist。　How　shall　we　reconcile　these
contradictions？　The　knights　errant；　who　wandered　about　to
clear　the　world　of　dragons　and　giants；　never　entertained　the
least　doubt　with　regard　to　the　existence　of　these　monsters。

　　　　　The　　is　another　enemy　of　religion；　who
naturally　provokes　the　indignation　of　all　divines　and　graver
philosophers；　though　it　is　certain；　that　no　man　ever　met
with　any　such　absurd　creature；　or　conversed　with　a　man；　who
had　no　opinion　or　principle　concerning　any　subject；　either
of　action　or　speculation。　This　begets　a　very　natural
question；　What　is　meant　by　a　sceptic？　And　how　far　it　is
possible　to　push　these　philosophical　principles　of　doubt　and
uncertainty？

　　　　　There　is　a　species　of　scepticism；　　to　all
study　and　philosophy；　which　is　much　inculcated　by　D/ES
C/ARTES　and　others；　as　a　sovereign　preservative　against
error　and　precipitate　judgement。　It　recommends　an　universal
doubt；　not　only　of　all　our　former　opinions　and　principles；
but　also　of　our　very　faculties；　of　whose　veracity；　say　they；
we　must　assure　ourselves；　by　a　chain　of　reasoning；　deduced
from　some　original　principle；　which　cannot　possibly　be
fallacious　or　deceitful。　But　neither　is　there　any　such
original　principle；　which　has　a　prerogative　above　others；
that　are　self…evident　and　convincing：　Or　if　there　were；
could　we　advance　a　step　beyond　it；　but　by　the　use　of　those
very　faculties；　of　which　we　are　supposed　to　be　already
diffident。　The　C/ARTESIAN　doubt；　therefore；　were　it　ever
possible　to　be　attained　by　any　human　creature　（as　it　plainly
is　not）　would　be　entirely　incurable；　and　no　reasoning　could
ever　bring　us　to　a　state　of　assurance　and　conviction　upon
any　subject。

　　　　　It　must；　however；　be　confessed；　that　this　species　of
scepticism；　when　more　moderate；　may　be　understood　in　a　very
reasonable　sense；　and　is　a　necessary　preparative　to　the
study　of　philosophy；　by　preserving　a　proper　impartiality　in
our　judgements；　and　weaning　our　mind　from　all　those
prejudices；　which　we　may　have　imbibed　from　education　or　rash
opinion。　To　begin　with　clear　and　self…evident　principles；　to
advance　by　timorous　and　sure　steps；　to　review　frequently　our
conclusions；　and　examine　accurately　all　their　consequences；
though　by　these　means　we　shall　make　both　a　slow　and　a　short
progress　in　our　systems；　are　the　only　methods；　by　which　we
can　ever　hope　to　reach　truth；　and　attain　a　proper　stability
and　certainty　in　our　determinations。

　　　　　There　is　another　species　of　scepticism；　　to
science　and　enquiry；　when　men　are　supposed　to　have
discovered；　either　the　absolute　fallaciousness　of　their
mental　faculties；　or　their　unfitness　to　reach　any　fixed
determination　in　all　those　curious　subjects　of　speculation；
about　which　they　are　commonly　employed。　Even　our　very　senses
are　brought　into　dispute；　by　a　certain　species　of
philosophers；　and　the　maxims　of　common　life　are　subjected　to
the　same　doubt　as　the　most　profound　principles　or
conclusions　of　metaphysics　and　theology。　As　these
paradoxical　tenets　（if　they　may　be　called　tenets）　are　to　be
met　with　in　some　philosophers；　and　the　refutation　of　them　in
several；　they　naturally　excite　our　curiosity；　and　make　us
enquire　into　the　arguments；　on　which　they　may　be　founded。

　　　　　I　need　not　insist　upon　the　more　trite　topics；　employed
by　the　sceptics　in　all　ages；　against　the　evidence　of
；　such　as　those　which　are　derived　from　the
imperfection　and　fallaciousness　of　our　organs；　on　numberless
occasions；　the　crooked　appearance　of　an　oar　in　water；　the
various　aspects　of　objects；　according　to　their　different
distances；　the　double　images　which　arise　from　the　pressing
one　eye；　with　many　other　appearances　of　a　like　nature。　These
sceptical　topics；　indeed；　are　only　sufficient　to　prove；　that
the　senses　alone　are　not　implicitly　to　be　depended　on；　but
that　we　must　correct　their　evidence　by　reason；　and　by
considerations；　derived　from　the　nature　of　the　medium；　the
distance　of　the　object；　and　the　disposition　of　the　organ；　in
order　to　render　them；　within　their　sphere；　the　proper
criteria　of　truth　and　falsehood。　There　are　other　more
profound　arguments　against　the　senses；　which　admit　not　of　so
easy　a　solution。

　　　　　It　seems　evident；　that　men　are　carried；　by　a　natural
instinct　or　prepossession；　to　repose　faith　in　their　senses；
and　that；　without　any　reasoning；　or　even　almost　before　the
use　of　reason；　we　always　suppose　an　external　universe；　which
depends　not　on　our　perception；　but　would　exist；　though　we
and　every　sensible　creature　were　absent　or　annihilated。　Even
the　animal　creation　are　governed　by　a　like　opinion；　and
preserve　this　belief　of　external　objects；　in　all　their
thoughts；　designs；　and　actions。

　　　　　It　seems　also　evident；　that；　when　men　follow　this　blind
and　powerful　instinct　of　nature；　they　always　suppose　the
very　images；　presented　by　the　senses；　to　be　the　external
objects；　and　never　entertain　any　suspicion；　that　the　one　are
nothing　but　representations　of　the　other。　This　very　table；
which　we　see　white；　and　which　we　feel　hard；　is　believed　to
exist；　independent　of　our　perception；　and　to　be　something
external　to　our　mind；