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invariable sequence of cause anti effect is a ^ alb * otis to $ he' steady operation of laws in the social system , and riaWaJry ftug ^^' ^ l ^ ' ^ ^ i ^ e iei ^ y ^ Mt our reasoning faculty exceeds its aoitate £ 3 bn " if [ iihfe ^^ 'Snbfo ^ ^ canle ( f fdrtber , and the inference deduced that tMs seqwti ^ > arf R tieye ^ hiivfe fc ^ en interrupted or obscured but b y caprice orsorite tiili&fthdfiiil imj > £ rfettX 6 ti , and therefore that a miracle is impossible . - Froin our author ' s next position we also dissent . Testinibny cannot prove the unffbrniity of causation , because it reaches only a limited iiunibet * 6 f
events : IMthis limitation does not affect its evidence in ariy particular instance . If humab te ^ ti fliony established the un iformity of causation in a thousand iti $ 1 aiice $ ; without fey exception , this would be no proo £ though a preSuttiptioiit , that the sequence of cause ^ aud effect was universal : &ut if it established this sequ'ence in nine hundred and ninety-nine cases , and asserted hs failure in oiie , we see no reason , for rejecting ifs evidence . Testimony can neVisr prove the rule universal ; but , by establishing one exceMidn ,
it can prove that it is not universal . Here the writer again assumes the connexion of caqse and effect to be not only uniform , but necessary , ineyitable , indispensable ; which is clearly beting the question . The last observation , that the being of a God is proved by physical evidence ; is obvious and indisputable .
We cannot dWell so long on the next chapter as its contents deserve . It tre ^ fe ^ Possibility , Probability ^ and their Qpppfites . The term Possibility is ^ Wn to imply a defect of knowledge on our parts , and to desi ^ batd a state iSf $ fi £ iiiin ^ and not an attribute of events . An impossiblei i ^ yjenlis described is Witig one - . which contradicts our experience , or ^ M 6 h impfies It
&aH fbteIrame causes have produced different effects , " or vice v ^ rsS . is cleaif tHai £ tfieas ^ iimption of the uni formity of causation is here made to rest 6 t ? 6 tii ? £ xperietice , and not on a primary principle of the mind * n W&istioiild be inclined , when speaking philosophically , to restrict the use dfih& ^ eiht iinpossibie io that which is self-contradictory . Our author
adcrttel r j ^ 1 irhtted signification , and declares impossible , and involving a Miita ^ y front the unijorm succession of causes and effects , tb > be conyeirtibM tenni ^ Wnalever may become of this definition , it contains notnine incpihpattble with the belief that 4 * what is impossible with man is possible withoodi ** 5 J ; The te ^ r ^ Probability is well explained . l ' [ , ? t to
-yffe doctrine 6 f PHilospp ^ rical Necessi ty we hold have been previously niliy prdv « di ' Otlr ' high . appreciation of the value of testinion y is owing ^ o our belief in the uniformity of causation in the moral world . On ' oiir , " ^^ thbr ' s mind , hdw t ever , thjs belief apjpears to have a directly opttd $ it ^ 6 nje 5 Jt , ^ s ? W ^ ji 3 rdge frptpfae tonclusion of his ninth chapter . ? fiec ^ us ^ ithe ^ iises : \ vH $ i ' actuate the mind are ^ as a whole , less known to' ^ th j i ^ dios ^ wl | tGh opetatci on the physicatl world , he would rather disMlieye tne ies ^ imo ^ y qja "eKajlf Mtift ^ of pe ^ ns ; ^ n ^ atid speaMh ^ un ^ tf W a ^ ttkin ^ setof
^ ott ^ ^ ru ^ Kn ^^^ tdbipVitiy , tHK ^^ shi ^ , to ^ tureyWSeifeW tfieV c 6 n ^ tibhsi tfia ^ n' ^ m ^^{^ m ^ e xactefo ' Me . tnl ^ c ^ " ! . y < f ^** '' f " * ^ j !*^; - 1 ^^ ^ ow | u ^ r >^^ to ^ vew ^ ded ( ; in the othet , the deteiiniixatiou of the legidmate bounds of teaUDao ^ ay , so as to excWde . ^ e miracles ) toljayefgiile ^ ; - (^ ' jjeirf ^; arij W ^> y ^ tfaat he has . brought forward ac > y thing new : and our reason for commenting on the
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Essays on tie Pursuit df " Triith . 639
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Sept. 2, 1829, page 639, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2576/page/39/
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