THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE INDUCTIVE SCIENCES, VOL. 1

1·24.5 MB·English

by  N.A.

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THE

PHILOSOPHY

INDUCTIVE SCIENCES.

INTRODUCTION.

THE Paitrosoray ov Science, if the phrase were to

‘be understood in the comprehensive wnve which
nuost naturally offers itedf to our thoughts, would
imply nothing less than # complete insight into the
csvence and cimditions of al real knowledge, and an
expodition of the bast mothodasfor the discovary of
new truths, We must narrew and lower this concap-
tion, Border to monld it into 9 for in which wa
may make it the Smmetinte object of onr lahows with
4 good hope uf success; yet still it may be a rations]
and tawful undertaking, to endeavour to make some
advance towarde much a Philosophy,"even aceurding to
the most umplo conception of iv which we eau form
The present work Inis been written with a view of
contributing, in somesmensnre, however small it wy:
Lo, towards sch an undertaking. .

‘Bnt in thia, us in every attempt to advance beyond
tho position whiclf we sé prevent occupy, our hope af
wuceisa must depend mainly upoh our being able to
yrofit, to the fullest extent, by the progress already
tmade, We may best hope to mnderatand the nature
and conditions of real knowledge, by studying the nature
and conditions of the mosé certain and stable portions
of knowledge which we abroady possess: and we.are
ost likely to learn the heat methods of discovering
truth, by cxumining how truths, uow universally re-
ognized, huwe really boon discovered, Now there do
oxist among us doctrines of solid and acknawledged
certainty, and traths uf which te discovery hes boo
xéceived with aniversal applause. These constiinte
what we commonly term Sciences; and of those bodies
of exact and enduring knowledge, we have within our

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