Ciup. Vir. AN TIE NT METAPHYSICS. 71 



C H A P. vir. 



Of the progrefs of the human mind from ideas to Science. -^Ideas the 

 materials only of Science. — They mujl be put together in order 

 to make fcience. — This done by propofitions. — All Propofttions confijl 

 of apraedicate and a fuhjeCl- — The praedicate the more general idea^ 

 containing the fubjeit being the lefs general idea. — Of the 7nunncr 

 in -which one idea contains another ; — and hoiv the more general 

 idea contains and is contained in the lefs general. — This explained 

 by the diftinclion betivixt containing potentially and di^mWy. — This 

 difinciion f^jeivn to apply to all propofitions ^ ivhether praedicating 

 the genus of the fpccics, or the accident of the fubflance. — Propo- 

 fitions alone not fit for fcience. — There muf he that comparifon of 

 propofitions., ivhich ive call Reafoning. — Where the connexion bc'^ 

 tivixt the two lerms of the propofttion is not evident^ it muf he 

 made /o by other propofitions. ^This cannot go on in infinitum, but 

 mufl fop at felf evident propofitions. — Of the procefis of reafoning 

 from thefe propofitions^ and of the coUe6lion of propofitions into Syl- 

 logifm. — Of the nvonderful invention of the Syllogifm, and of the 

 ivkole logical ivorks of Arifiotle. — Syllogifm alone not fufficient for 

 Science. — There mufi he alfo Definition. — Of the nature of Definition. 

 — The Terms of propofitions may confifi of fieveral ideas, exprefied by 

 fieveral -words. — This illuflrated by the example of the firfi axiom 

 of Euclid. — Definitions, therefore, as ivell as Axioms, necefary for 

 Science. — Of the utility of Logic, and the neceffity that a 7nan, ivho 

 pretends to he learned in any fcience, fJjould knoiv zi'hat Science is. 

 — Opinion amojig men, prior to fcience or demctifiration. — All men, 

 iz'hen they firfi begin to think^ form Opinions, — and mofi men nc%-er 

 go farther. — Polybius's definition ofi Man, that he is an opinion- 

 forming 



