20 NAMES AND PROPOSITIONS. 



two names ; brings together two names, in a particular manner. 

 This is already a first step towards what we are in quest of. 

 It appears from this, that for an act of belief, one object is not 

 sufficient ; the simplest act of belief supposes, and has some- 

 thing to do with, two objects : two names, to say the least ; 

 and (since the names must be names of something) two name- 

 able things. A large ckss of thinkers would cut the matter 

 short by saying, two ideas. They would say, that the subject 

 and predicate are both of them names of ideas ; the idea of 

 gold, for instance, and the idea of yellow ; and that what 

 takes place (or part of what takes place) in the- act of belief, 

 consists in bringing (as it is often expressed) one of these 

 ideas under the other. But this we are not yet in a condition 

 to say :~ whether such be the correct mode of describing the 

 phenomenon, is an after consideration. The result with which 

 for the present we must be contented, is, that in every act 

 of belief two objects are in some manner taken cognizance 

 of; that there can be no belief claimed, or question pro- 

 pounded, which does not embrace two distinct (either material 

 or intellectual) subjects of thought ; each of them capable, or 

 not, of being conceived by itself, but incapable of being be- 

 lieved by itself. 



I may say, for instance, "the sun." The word has a 

 meaning, and suggests that meaning to the mind of any one 

 who is listening to me. But suppose I ask him, Whether it 

 is true : whether he believes it ? He can give no answer. 

 There is as yet nothing to believe, or to disbelieve. Now, 

 however, let me make, of all possible assertions respecting the 

 sun, the one which involves the least of reference to any object 

 besides itself; let me say, "the sun exists." Here, at once, is 

 something which a person can say he believes. But here, in- 

 stead of only one, we find two distinct objects of conception : 

 the sun is one object; existence is another. Let it not be 

 said that this second conception, existence, is involved in the 

 first ; for the sun may be conceived as no longer existing. 

 " The sun" does not convey all the meaning that is conveyed 

 by "the sun exists:" "my father" does not include all the 

 meaning of " my father exists," for he may be dead ; " a round 



