Philosophy Author:William Hamilton General Books publication date: 2009 Original publication date: 1853 Original Publisher: D. Appleton Subjects: Philosophy Notes: This is a black and white OCR reprint of the original. It has no illustrations and there may be typos or missing text. When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books... more ».com where you can select from more than a million books for free. Excerpt: CHAPTER V. DISTINCTION OF THE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY QUALITIES OF BODY. i The developed doctrine of Real Presentationism, the basis of Natural Realism, asserts the consciousness or immediate perception of certain essential attributes of matter objectively existing; while it admits that other properties of body are unknown in themselves, and only inferred as causes to account for certain subjective affections of which we are cognizant in ourselves. This discrimination, which to other systems is contingent, superficial, extraneous, but to Natural Realism necessary, radical, intrinsic, coincides with what, since the time of Locke, has been generally known as the distinction of the Qualities of Matter or Body, using these terms as convertible into Primary and Secondary. Of this celebrated analysis, I shall here, in the first place, attempt an historical survey ; and in the second, endeavor to place it on its proper footing by a critical analysis ; without however in either respect proposing more than a contribution towards a more full and regular discussion of it in both. § I. -- Distinction Of The Primary And Secondary QualiTies Of Body Consiukrkd Historically. In regard to its History' -- this, as hitherto attempted, is at once extremely erroncous, if History may be called the incidental ' This is the fourth supplementary Dissertation in Hamilton's Reid. -- W. ' Sir William is exploring a new tract in the history of philosophy. No one has preceded him in this research, and if he has not completed the history of the distinction of the Primary and ...« less