Four Essays On Subjects Comprised In The Science Of Political Economy Etc

Author : Henry Middleton
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9781331308126
Total Pages : 56 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (81 download)

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Download or read book Four Essays written by Henry Middleton and published by . This book was released on 2015-07-13 with total page 56 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Excerpt from Four Essays: The Science of Political Economy; Political Economy and Industry and Their Relations; Impolicy of Protective Duties; A Position of the Friends of the High Tariff Examined The pure mathematics is the only science, of which the subject matter seems susceptible of exact and rigorous definition. By whatever term we think proper to distinguish the knowledge of the properties of space and number, these properties, as well as the subject matter of them, must ever remain unchanged. It is true that properties, before unknown, may in the progress of the science be made known, and the sphere of science be thus enlarged; but the subject matter must ever be the same. In mathematics, we contemplate the properties of that being, (if I may so express myself, ) which not only can undergo no change, but in which no change is conceivable, and which therefore is susceptible of the utmost exactness of definition. Nothing that we can form any idea of is like it, and as we cannot by any means conceive the idea of its being annihilated, it follows, that its existence is the necessary accompaniment, and, as it were, condition of all that we can think, or feel, or know. In all other sciences, the subject matter of examination, however durable (in the common acceptation) in its nature, is neither, so far as we know, immutable nor eternal; and can easily be conceived to be annihilated. We shall not enter into the question, whether matter itself can be conceived annihilated, still less into that, whether it exists at all, and is not a mere quality of mind: all that we affirm is, that the particular forms under which matter exhibits itself to us, may be conceived changed; and this suffices to enable us to perceive a broad line of distinction between the sciences which are concerned about matter, or rather about the forms and appearances of matter, (we confine ourselves here to the physical sciences, ) and that one which has for its object the properties of space and number. The same distinction may be drawn between the mathematics and those sciences which explain to us mental or moral phenomena. Mind, like matter, exhibits itself to us under a great variety of forms, appearances and connections; and mental philosophy, or the science of the mind, consists in treasuring up and recording these forms, appearances and connections, and in arranging them under different, or under the same heads and classes, according to their nearer or more remote resemblances to one another. It follows as a necessary consequence, that as the sciences which compose either of these two great departments of human knowledge, mind and matter, are only separated from one another by the differences, or united by the resemblances of their subjects, and as these differences and resemblances mutually run into one another, (a resemblance always implying a difference, ) they cannot admit of any greater exactness of definition, than the objects or classes of objects, about which they are concerned. We may observe further, that the same cause which in the definition of the physical and mental sciences renders mathematical precision impossible, renders it equally so, in all our reasonings in them. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.