What is Matter and Occasion?

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12. People might object that there can be no such thing as an inert, senseless, extended, solid, figured, moveable Substance, existing without the Mind, such as Philosophers describe Matter.

Yet if any Man shall leave out of his Idea of Matter, the positive Ideas of Extension, Figure, Solidity and Motion, and say that he means only by that Word, an inert senseless Substance, that exists without the Mind, or unperceived, which is the Occasion of our Ideas, or at the presence whereof God is pleased to excite Ideas in us: It doth not appear, but that Matter taken in this sense may possibly exist.

I reply that:

• it seems no less absurd to suppose a Substance without Accidents, than it is to suppose Accidents without a Substance.
• But Secondly, though we should grant this unknown Substance may possibly exist, yet where can it be supposed to be?

That it exists not in the Mind is agreed, and that it exists not in Place is no less certain; since all Extension exists only in the Mind, as hath been already proved. It remains therefore that it exists no where at all.

68. What is Matter?

It neither acts, nor perceives, nor is perceived: For this is all that is meant by saying it is an inert, senseless, unknown substance; which is a Definition intirely made up of Negatives, excepting only the relative Notion of its standing under or supporting: But then it must be observed, that it supports nothing at all; and how nearly this comes to the Description of a non-entity, I desire may be considered.

You say that it is the unknown Occasion, at the presence of which, Ideas are excited in us by the Will of God. Now I would fain know how any thing can be present to us, which is neither perceivable by Sense nor Reflexion, nor capable of producing any Idea in our Minds, nor is at all extended, nor hath any Form, nor exists in any Place. The Words to be present, when thus applied, must needs be taken in some abstract and strange Meaning, and which I am not able to comprehend.

69. What is Occasion?

It means either the Agent which produces any Effect, or else something that is observed to accompany, or go before it, in the ordinary Course of things.

But when it is applied to Matter as above described, it can be taken in neither of those senses. For Matter is said to be passive and inert, and so cannot be an Agent or efficient Cause.

It is also unperceivable, as being devoid of all sensible Qualities, and so cannot be the Occasion of our Perceptions in the latter Sense: As when the burning my Finger is said to be the Occasion of the Pain that attends it. What therefore can be meant by calling Matter an Occasion? This Term is either used in no sense at all, or else in some sense very distant from its received Signification.

70. You say that Matter, though it be not perceived by us, is nevertheless perceived by God, to whom it is the Occasion of exciting Ideas in our Minds.

For, say you, since we observe our Sensations to be imprinted in an orderly and constant manner, it is but reasonable to suppose there are certain constant and regular Occasions of their being produced. That is to say, that there are certain permanent and distinct Parcels of Matter, corresponding to our Ideas, which, though they do not excite them in our Minds, or any ways immediately affect us, as being altogether passive and unperceivable to Us, they are nevertheless to God, by whom they are perceived, as it were so many Occasions to remind him when and what Ideas to imprint on our Minds: that so things may go on in a constant uniform manner.

LXXI. In answer to this I observe, that as the Notion of Matter is here stated, the Question is no longer concerning the Existence of a thing distinct from Spirit and Idea, from perceiving and being perceived: But whether there are not certain Ideas, of I know not what sort, in the Mind of God, which are so many Marks or Notes that direct him how to produce Sensations in our Minds, in a constant and regular Method: Much after the same manner as a Musician is directed by the Notes of Musick to produce that harmonious Train and Composition of Sound, which is called a Tune; though they who hear the Musick do not perceive the Notes, and may be intirely ignorant of them. But this Notion of Matter seems too extravagant to deserve a Confutation. Besides, it is in effect no Objection against what we have advanced, to wit, that there is no senseless, unperceived Substance.

LXXII. If we follow the Light of Reason, we shall, from the constant uniform Method of our Sensations, collect the Goodness and Wisdom of the Spirit who excites them in our Minds. But this is all that I can see reasonably concluded from thence. To me, I say, it is evident that the Being of a Spirit infinitely Wise, Good, and Powerful is abundantly sufficient to explain all the Appearances of Nature. But as for inert senseless Matter, nothing that I perceive has any the least Connexion with it, or leads to the Thoughts of it. And I would fain see any one explain any the meanest Phænomenon in Nature by it, or shew any manner of Reason, though in the lowest Rank of Probability, that he can have for its Existence; or even make any tolerable Sense or Meaning of that Supposition. For as to its being an Occasion, we have, I think, evidently shewn that with regard to us it is no Occasion: It remains therefore that it must be, if at all, the Occasion to God of exciting Ideas in us; and what this amounts to, we have just now seen.