238 M E T A P 
As the preceding Table exhibits the entire Elements of 
Metaphyfics, it is only requifite, for the eftabli'hment of 
the Science, to give a complete explanation of each part, 
and to prove that thefe Elements are neither deficient nor 
redundant. 
The MIND. 
1. The Mind, in the moft extenfive meaning of the 
word, implies a faculty of reprefenting fomething to itfelf; 
and therefore may be termed a Representing Faculty. 
Proof. —In every Thought, Conception , Knowledge, Judg¬ 
ment, Idea, &c. the Mind always reprefents fome objeft to 
itfelf; or the Thought, Conception, &c. is perfectly empty, 
and completely fenfelefs. 
2. Every reprefentation requires a reprefenting fdjeft and 
a reprefented objeft. ■ 
Proof. —The reprefenting fdjeft, by aft mg upon the 
oljefl that has occurred in the mind, produces the Repre¬ 
sentation. Thefubjefl and objeft taken together are the 
' Cause, and the reprefentation is the Effect. And no 
Reprefentation whatever is polfible without thefe three 
parts : that is to fay, Subjeft and Objeft, as Caufe; and 
Reprefentation as Effect. 
3. In every reprefentation, thought, conception, know¬ 
ledge, See. there mult be an objeft confilting of parts; and 
thefe mult be united into a whole. ' 
Proof. —For that which hath no parts is abfolutely 
nothing, and therefore cannot be reprefentable as an ob¬ 
jeft ; and, unlefs thefe parts are connefted into a whole, or 
unity, no reprefentation of any one thing would be polfible. 
SENSE. 
1. Sense is the pa five facuity of the Mind, that receives 
the parts of which the objeft in the reprefentation confilts, 
and connefts them into a whole, or unity, which is called 
Intuition. 
Proof. —For, if Senfe do not receive the parts of which 
the objeft or matter of every reprefentation confilts, then 
w'e create the objefts, which is abfurd. And, until thefe 
parts are connefted into a whole, or unity, no objeft could 
•ccur in a reprefentation. 
Explanation of Terms employed in the Science of Metaphyfics. 
Sense in its pa.five capacity is called Receptivity ; for 
it receives the variety or matter of all reprefentations which 
the mind could not create. 
Sense in its aftive fnnfiion is called Spontaneity of 
the firft degree, as merely uniting the parts which are re¬ 
ceived by the mind into that lpecies of unity which is 
Called Intuition. 
Remark. —An Intuition is not an intelligible objeft, 
for the intelleft has not yet operated upon it: Hill we are 
confcious of the prefence of an objeft, though we do not 
know what it is. 
2. As Sense receives, it is clear that it mull receive a 
variety of parts, othelwife it has nothing at all to receive. 
Now, there are only two general varieties, the one whofe 
parts co-exiji, the other whofe parts are inJ'trifl fuecefwu. 
Proof. —All objefts in Space have their parts co-exift- 
ing; all objefts which are in Time only, have their parts 
following one another. The former comprehend all exter¬ 
nal lenlible objefts ; the latter the effefts and relations of 
thefe external objefts, or the internalfenfiblejhate of thefobjeft. 
But thele two deferiptions include every polfible objeft. 
3. A.S the Receptivity of Senfe receives objefts, the 
parts of which are either co-exijhnt or J'ucccJjive, it may be 
divided into tw'o parts. 
Remark .— This divilion is not only very natural, but it 
is alfo indifpenfable ; for, without it, we fiiould be unable 
to give accurate definitions of Time and Space. 
4. The Receptivity which receives an objeft whofe 
parts co-exiji, is external receptivity, or Space. 
Proof. —For, when we analyze our notion of Space, 
we find it to confill of a variety of co-exifting parts, con- 
liefted together into a unity. But Space alone is that 
whereby an objeft conlifting of a variety of co-exiflent parts 
can occur; which is precifely the cafe with the external 
neceptivity; therefore Space is.external receptivity. 
H Y S I C S. 
5 - The Receptivity which receives an objeft whofe 
parts are fucceffive, that is, merely the effeft of fome ex¬ 
ternal objeft ; and which, therefore, exilt in time only, and 
can only be an fitlmwZobjeft; is inter nalreceptivity, orTiME. 
Proof.— For, when we analyze our notion of Time, we 
find it to conlift of a variety of parts in ftrifl fnccefion, 
connefted together into a unity; and Time is that alone 
wherein an objeft confilling of a variety of parts in fuccef- 
fion can occur; which is precifely the cafe with internal 
receptivity; therefore Time is internal receptivity. 
Explanation of Terms. 
Sensation is an alteration which takes place when the 
receptivity is affefted, and is the ground of Intuition. 
Intuition is a fenfible reprefentation which arifes im¬ 
mediately upon the receptivity being affefted, and is ei¬ 
ther External Intuition, when its objeft is in Space, 
that is, an external phenomenon ; or Internal Intuition, 
when its objeft is in Time only; that is, an internal phe¬ 
nomenon, or the effeft of an external one. 
Phenomenon means appearance, and is ufed to diftin- 
guilli the objeft in the reprefentation from the objeft out of 
it, which is its caufe, and is called Noumehon. 
Noumenon is the thing in itfelf, that is independent of 
our Faculties ; for, it is then out of Time and Space; that 
is, out of the fphere of knowledge. Of noumena, there¬ 
fore, we can know nothing. 
Conclufion. —Thus we have feen that the mind is both 
Active and Passive. Its Receptivity receives the matter 
of knowledge, which it could not create. Its Spontaneity 
connefts this matter into a unity or form, and thus pro¬ 
duces an Intuition. Hence, Sense or th efirjt degree of 
Spontaneity, conftitutes the power of forming Intuitions. 
UNDERSTANDING. 
1. Understanding is an aftive faculty, a Spontaneity 
of the J'econd degree. It comprehends an Intuition un¬ 
der a Conception, or under the objeftive unity ; that is, 
renders it an intelligible objeft. 
Proof.— For, until an objeft is claffed by the Under- 
ftanding, it is a mere Intuition, or an unintelligible 
objeft; but the inftant the intelleft has operated upon it, it 
becomes intelligible ; I may then fay I underftand it, and 
know what it is. 
2. To render an objeft intelligible, is to give to it a pre- 
cife Quantity, a particular Quality, a determinate Relation, 
and a diftinft degree of certainty, called Modality. 
Proof.— For that thing which has no precile quantity, 
e. g. that is neither a mathematical point nor an entire 
world, nor any part of a world; and which has no parti¬ 
cular qualities, e. g. is neither hard, foft, See. and which 
Hands perfeftly alone, without any relation. toother things, 
neither being a body, nor an effeft of a body, nor a part 
of a whole ; is completely unintelligible. 
3. The Underftanding conlifts of twelve primary and 
original connecting afts called Categories, and clafled un¬ 
der the four heads of Quantity, Quality, Relation, 
and Modality. 
, Remark. —The whole fabric of Metaphyfics either Hands 
or falls upon the proof of this pofition, which will be given 
in the fequel, under each head as it arifes p and, fliould 
it fail, then indeed will Metaphyfics be thrown into the 
utmoli confufion, and be again the Humbling-block of the 
learned ; but, fiiould it lucceed, as it is prelumed it will, 
we may then boafi, that at length Metaphyjics has become 
a Science which furpaffes Geometry, iince it explains 
what the geometrician always affumes or takes for granted, 
namely, his Axioms, together with Time and Space. 
4. Quantity confifis of Unity, Multitude, and Totality; 
and mufi belong to every thing. 
Proof.— For that which is without quantity, that is 
to lay, which is neither one, many, nor all, is no intel¬ 
ligible objeft ; confequently not reprefentable: i,e. it is 
Nothing. 
5. Quality confifis of Reality, Negation, and Limitor- 
tion; which means that a thing either is, or is not ; and, if 
it is, that it is limited, 
Filgoil 
