Impressions of Reflection (Resulting Feelings)

Impressions are Feelings or Sensory Perceptions, Ideas are Thoughts

We should examine our impressions before we accept our ideas, since:

• our simple impressions are prior to their correspondent ideas, and
• exceptions to this pattern are very rare.

There are 2 kinds of impressions:

1. Sensation

This arises in the soul originally, from unknown causes.

2. Reflection

This is derived mostly from our ideas, in the following sequence:

• 1. An impression first strikes the senses.

It makes us perceive heat or cold, thirst or hunger, pleasure or pain.

• 2. A copy of this impression is taken by the mind.

This copy remains after the impression ceases. We call this copy an idea.

• 3. When this idea of pleasure or pain returns on the soul, it produces the new impressions of desire and aversion, hope and fear.

I call these as ‘impressions of reflection’ [ resulting feelings ], because they are derived from this idea.

• 4. These again are copied by the memory and imagination, and become ideas.
• 5. These ideas lead to other impressions and ideas.

In this way, the impressions of reflection:

• come before their correspondent ideas, but after the ideas of sensation, and
• are derived from the ideas of sensation.

I will focus on the impressions of reflection called passions, desires, and emotions.

• These arise mostly from ideas.

To explain the nature and principles of the human mind, I will give an account of ideas before we proceed to impressions.