Scepticism
Table of Contents
- Colour, Figure, Motion, Extension and the like, considered only as so many Sensations in the Mind, are perfectly known, there being nothing in them which is not perceived.
But if they are looked on as Notes or Images, referred to Things or Archetypes, existing without the Mind, then are we involved all in Scepticism. We see only the Appearances, and not the real Qualities of Things.
It is impossible for us to know What is the Extension, Figure, or Motion of anything really and absolutely is in itself.
We only know the proportion or relation they bear to our Senses.
Things remaining the same, our Ideas vary, and which of them, or even
It is beyond our reach to determine whether any of them at all represent the true Quality really existing in the Thing.
All that we see, hear, and feel, might only be Phantom and vain Chimera, and not at all the real Things, existing in Rerum Natura.
All this Scepticism follows, from our supposing a difference between Things and Ideas, and that the former have a Subsistence without the Mind, or unperceived.
It were easy to dilate on this Subject, and shew how the Arguments urged by Sceptics in all Ages, depend on the Supposition of external Objects.
- As long as we attribute a real Existence to unthinking Things, distinct from their being perceived, it is impossible for us to know with evidence:
- the Nature of any real unthinking Being
- if that Being exists.
This is why Philosophers:
- distrust their Senses
- doubt of the Existence of Heaven and Earth, of everything they see or feel, even of their own Bodies.
And after all their labour and struggle of Thought, they are forced to conclude that we cannot get any self-evident or demonstrative Knowledge of the Existence of sensible Things.
But this doubtfulness vanishes if we annex a meaning to our Words, and do not amuse our selves with the Terms Absolute, External, Exist, and such like, signifying we know not what.
It is a Contradiction that any sensible Object should be immediately perceived by Sight or Touch, and at the same time not exist.