Lectures on metaphysics and logic by Sir William Hamilton, bart. ... ed. by the Rev. Henry L. Mansel ... and John Veitch ...: vol 1 - Softcover

Bonn, Maria

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1425569897 ISBN 13: 9781425569891

Publisher: Scholarly Publishing Office, University of Michigan Library, 2005

Synopsis

LECTURES METAPHYSICS SIR WILLIAM HAMILTON, BJfBT. EDITED BY THIfi REV. II, L. HANSEL, B. D., LL. D., VMM OK AT PAiri kl, AN1 JOHN VEITCir, H. A., wr XAUIO AMB Minomo if run UMVBHITV or VOL. I. SIXTH IfiDIXION. WILLIAM BLAOKWOOD AND SONS, EDIJsrBtTEGH AND LOUTDON. MDOOQLXXVir. PREPACK THE following Lectures on Metaphysics constitute the first portion of the Biennial Course which the lamented Author was in the habit of delivering during the period of his occupation of the Chair of Logic and Metaphysics in the University of Edinburgh. In giving these Lectures to the world, it is due, both to the Author and to - his feacfers, to acknowledge that they do not appear in that state of completeness which might have been expected, had they been prepared for publication by the Author himself. As Lectures on Metaphysics, whether that term be taken in its wider or its stricter sense, thoy are confessedly imperfect, The Author himself, adopting the Kantian division of the mental faculties into those of Knowledge, Feeling, and Conation, considers the Philosophy of Mind as com prehending, in relation to each of these, the three great subdivisions of Psychology, or the Science of tho Phoeno mena of Mind Nomology, or the Science of its Laws and Ontology, or the Science of Results and Inferences, a Sec below, Lecture vii, p, 121 et w VU1 PREFACE. The term Metaphysics, in its strictest sense, is synony mous with the last of these subdivisions while, in its widest sense, it may be regarded as including the first also, the second being, in practice at least, if not in scientific accuracy, usually distributed among other de partments of Philosophy. The following Lectures cannot be considered as embracingthe whole province of Meta physics in either of the above senses. Among the Phe nomena of Mind, the Cognitive Faculties are discussed fully and satisfactorily those of feeling are treated with less detail those of Conation receive scarcely any special consideration while the questions of Ontology, or Metaphysics proper, are touched upon only incidentally, The omission of any special discussion of this last branch may perhaps be justified by its abstruse character, and unsuitableness for a course of elementary instruction but it is especially to be regretted, both on account of the general neglect of this branch of study by the entire school of Scottish philosophers, and also on account of the eminent qualifications which the Author possessed for supplying this acknowledged deficiency. A treatise on Ontology from the pen of Sir William Hamilton, embody ing the final results of the Philosophy of the Conditioned, would have been a boon to the philosophical world such as probably no writer now living is capable of conferring. The circumstances under which these Lectures wore written must also be taken into account in estimating their character, both as a specimen of the Authors powers, and as d, contribution to philosophical literature. PREFACE. IX Sir William Hamilton was elected to the Chair of Logic and Metaphysics in July 1836. In the interval between his appointment and the commencement of the College Session November of the same year, the Author was assiduously occupied in making preparation for dis charging the duties of his office. The principal part of those duties consisted, according to the practice of the University, in the delivery of a Course of Lectures on the subjectsassigned to the chair. On his appointment to the Professorship, Sir William Hamilton experienced considerable difficulty in deciding on the character of the course of Lectures on Philosophy, which, while doing justice to the subject, would at the same time meet the wants of his auditors, who were ordinarily com posed of comparatively young students in the second year of their university curriculum...

Edition details

• Publisher: Scholarly Publishing Office, University of Michigan Library
• Publication date: 2005
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1425569897
• ISBN 13: 9781425569891
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 746