work_id,theme,provenance,created_at,text,reviewed_on,id,comments,metaphor,dictionary,updated_at,context
4093,"","Found again reading Maclean's John Locke and English Literature, (1962), p. 33",2005-03-27 00:00:00 UTC,"The mind of man is at first (if you will pardon the expression) like a tabula rasa, or like wax, which, while it is soft, is capable of any impression, till time has hardened it. And at length death, that grim tyrant, stops us in the midst of our career. The greatest conquerors have at last been conquered by death, which spares none, from the sceptre to the spade.",,10542,
•I've included twice: Wax and Tabula Rasa,"""The mind of man is at first (if you will pardon the expression) like a tabula rasa, or like wax, which, while it is soft, is capable of any impression, till time has hardened it.""",Impressions and Writing,2013-11-01 15:33:30 UTC,""
4138,"",Past Masters,2004-02-18 00:00:00 UTC,"But though we might possibly have all our sensations without them, yet perhaps it may be thought easier to conceive and explain the manner of their production, by supposing external bodies in their likeness rather than otherwise; and so it might be at least probable there are such things as bodies that excite their ideas in our minds. But neither can this be said; for though we give the materialists their external bodies, they by their own confession are never the nearer knowing how our ideas are produced: since they own themselves unable to comprehend in what manner body can act upon spirit, or how it is possible it should imprint any idea in the mind. Hence it is evident the production of ideas or sensations in our minds, can be no reason why we should suppose matter or corporeal substances, since that is acknowledged to remain equally inexplicable with, or without this supposition. If therefore it were possible for bodies to exist without the mind, yet to hold they do so, must needs be a very precarious opinion; since it is to suppose, without any reason at all, that God has created innumerable beings that are entirely useless, and serve to no manner of purpose.
(Part I, §19, p. 49)",2012-03-02,10631,•Republished in 1734 in London. Editor uses this second edition. ,"""But neither can this be said; for though we give the materialists their external bodies, they by their own confession are never the nearer knowing how our ideas are produced: since they own themselves unable to comprehend in what manner body can act upon spirit, or how it is possible it should imprint any idea in the mind.""",Impressions,2012-03-02 16:21:40 UTC,""
4178,Seat of the Soul,Past Masters,2004-02-26 00:00:00 UTC,"HYLAS. I own there is a great deal in what you say. Nor can any one be more intirely satisfied of the truth of those odd consequences, so long as I have in view the reasonings that lead to them. But when these are out of my thoughts, there seems on the other hand something so satisfactory, so natural and intelligible in the modern way of explaining things, that I profess I know not how to reject it.
PHILONOUS. I know not what way you mean.
HYLAS. I mean the way of accounting for our sensations or ideas.
PHILONOUS. How is that?
HYLAS. It is supposed the soul makes her residence in some part of the brain, from which the nerves take their rise, and are thence extended to all parts of the body: and that outward objects by the different impressions they make on the organs of sense, communicate certain vibrative motions to the nerves; and these being filled with spirits, propagate them to the brain or seat of the soul, which according to the various impressions or traces thereby made in the brain, is variously affected with ideas.
PHILONOUS. And call you this an explication of the manner whereby we are affected with ideas?
(Vol ii, pp. 208-9)",,10844,"","""And that outward objects by the different impressions they make on the organs of sense, communicate certain vibrative motions to the nerves; and these being filled with spirits, propagate them to the brain or seat of the soul, which according to the various impressions or traces thereby made in the brain, is variously affected with ideas.""",Impressions and Throne,2013-09-12 03:59:50 UTC,Second Dialogue
4178,"",Past Masters,2004-02-26 00:00:00 UTC,"HYLAS. But according to your notions, what difference is there between real things, and chimeras formed by the imagination, or the visions of a dream, since they are all equally in the mind?
PHILONOUS. The ideas formed by the imagination are faint and indistinct; they have besides an entire dependence on the will. But the ideas perceived by sense, that is, real things, are more vivid and clear, and being imprinted on the mind by a spirit distinct from us, have not a like dependence on our will. There is therefore no danger of confounding these with the foregoing: and there is as little of confounding them with the visions of a dream, which are dim, irregular, and confused. And though they should happen to be never so lively and natural, yet by their not being connected, and of a piece with the preceding and subsequent transactions of our lives, they might easily be distinguished from realities. In short, by whatever method you distinguish things from chimeras on your own scheme, the same, it is evident, will hold also upon mine. For it must be, I presume, by some perceived difference, and I am not for depriving you of any one thing that you perceive.
(Vol ii, p. 235)",,10845,"","""But the ideas perceived by sense, that is, real things, are more vivid and clear, and being imprinted on the mind by a spirit distinct from us, have not a like dependence on our will.""",Impressions,2013-09-12 04:01:03 UTC,Third Dialogue
4178,"",Past Masters,2004-02-26 00:00:00 UTC,"HYLAS. Explain to me now, O Philonous! how it is possible there should be room for all those trees and houses to exist in your mind. Can extended things be contained in that which is unextended? Or are we to imagine impressions made on a thing void of all solidity? You cannot say objects are in your mind, as books in your study: or that things are imprinted on it, as the figure of a seal upon wax. In what sense therefore are we to understand those expressions? Explain me this if you can: and I shall then be able to answer all those queries you formerly put to me about my substratum.
PHILONOUS. Look you, Hylas, when I speak of objects as existing in the mind or imprinted on the senses; I would not be understood in the gross literal sense, as when bodies are said to exist in a place, or a seal to make an impression upon wax. My meaning is only that the mind comprehends or perceives them; and that it is affected from without, or by some being distinct from itself. This is my explication of your difficulty; and how it can serve to make your tenet of an unperceiving material substratum intelligible, I would fain know.
HYLAS. Nay, if that be all, I confess I do not see what use can be made of it. But are you not guilty of some abuse of language in this?
PHILONOUS. None at all: it is no more than common custom, which you know is the rule of language, hath authorized: nothing being more usual, than for philosophers to speak of the immediate objects of the understanding as things existing in the mind. Nor is there any thing in this, but what is conformable to the general analogy of language; most part of the mental operations being signified by words borrowed from sensible things; as is plain in the terms comprehend, reflect, discourse, &c. which being applied to the mind, must not be taken in their gross original sense.
(Vol ii, p. 241)
",,10848,"•INTEREST. Metaphors and anti-metaphors, figurative language and ordinary language.
•Both of the metaphors most readily associated with Locke (inscribed surface/container) are here denied.
•I had two entries: they were split into two metaphors room/wax. I deleted the second.
","""You cannot say objects are in your mind, as books in your study: or that things are imprinted on it, as the figure of a seal upon wax.""",Impressions and Rooms,2013-09-12 04:08:26 UTC,Third Dialogue
4178,"",Searching in Past Masters; replaced with text drawn from ECCO-TCP.,2004-02-26 00:00:00 UTC,"HYLAS.
Explain to me now, O Philonous! how it is possible, there shou'd be room for all those Trees and Houses to exist in your Mind. Can extended Things be contained in that which is unextended? Or, are we to imagine Impressions made on a Thing void of all Solidity? You cannot say, Objects are in your Mind, as Books in your Study: Or, that Things are imprinted on it, as the Figure of a Seal upon Wax. In what Sense, therefore, are we to understand those Expressions? Explain me this if you can: And I shall then be able to answer all those Queries you formerly put to me, about my Substratum.
PHILONOUS.
Look you, Hylas, when I speak of Objects, as existing in the Mind, or imprinted on the Senses; I wou'd not be understood in the gross, literal Sense, as when Bodies are said to exist in a place, or a Seal to make an Impression upon Wax. My Meaning is only, that the Mind comprehends, or perceives them; and that it is affected from without, or by some Being distinct from itself. This is my Explication of your Difficulty; and, how it can serve to make your Tenent of an unperceiving, material Substratum intelligible, I wou'd fain know.
HYLAS.
Nay, if that be all, I confess, I do not see what Use can be made of it. But, are you not guilty of some Abuse of Language in this?
PHILONOUS.
None at all: It is no more than common Custom, which, you know, is the Rule of Language, has authorized: Nothing being more usual, than for Philosophers to speak of the immediate Objects of the Understanding, as Things existing in the Mind. Nor is there any thing in this, but what is conformable to the general Analogy of Language; most part of the mental Operations being signified by Words borrowed from sensible Things; as is plain, in the Terms Comprehend, Reflect, Discourse, &c. which, being applied to the Mind, must not be taken in their gross, original Sense.
(pp. 141-2; cf. ii, 241 in Works)",,10862,"•INTEREST. Metaphors and anti-metaphors, figurative language and ordinary language. ","""Look you, Hylas, when I speak of Objects, as existing in the Mind, or imprinted on the Senses; I wou'd not be understood in the gross, literal Sense, as when Bodies are said to exist in a place, or a Seal to make an Impression upon Wax.""",Impressions,2014-03-16 16:16:33 UTC,Third Dialogue
4359,"",Searching poems at the Swift Society,2005-06-21 00:00:00 UTC,"When first the squire and tinker Wood
Gravely consulting Ireland's good,
Together mingled in a mass
Smith's dust, and copper, lead, and brass;
The mixture thus by chemic art
United close in ev'ry part,
In fillets roll'd, or cut in pieces,
Appear'd like one continued species;
And, by the forming engine struck,
On all the same impression took.
So, to confound this hated coin,
All parties and religions join;
Whigs, Tories, Trimmers, Hanoverians,
Quakers, Conformists, Presbyterians,
Scotch, Irish, English, French, unite,
With equal interest, equal spite
Together mingled in a lump,
Do all in one opinion jump;
And ev'ry one begins to find
The same impression on his mind.
(p. 201).",2009-08-06,11456,"•Poem continues elaborating the conceit of a golden chain replaced by a brazen one. Wood is cast in the part of Prometheus. The consequences are politically disastrous: ""But sure, if nothing else must pass / Betwixt the king and us but brass, / Although the chain will never crack, / Yet our devotion may grow slack.""","""And ev'ry one begins to find / The same impression on his mind.""",Coinage,2009-09-14 19:35:55 UTC,""
4024,"",Reading,2013-09-11 21:10:47 UTC,"From this accurate deduction it is manifest that for obtaining attention in public there is of necessity required a superior position of place. But although this point be generally granted, yet the cause is little agreed in; and it seems to me that very few philosophers have fallen into a true natural solution of this phenomenon. The deepest account, and the most fairly digested of any I have yet met with is this, that air being a heavy body, and therefore, according to the system of Epicurus, continually descending, must needs be more so when laden and pressed down by words, which are also bodies of much weight and gravity, as is manifest from those deep impressions they make and leave upon us, and therefore must be delivered from a due altitude, or else they will neither carry a good aim nor fall down with a sufficient force.
(pp. 27-8 in OUP ed.)",,22705,"","""The deepest account, and the most fairly digested of any I have yet met with is this, that air being a heavy body, and therefore, according to the system of Epicurus, continually descending, must needs be more so when laden and pressed down by words, which are also bodies of much weight and gravity, as is manifest from those deep impressions they make and leave upon us, and therefore must be delivered from a due altitude, or else they will neither carry a good aim nor fall down with a sufficient force.""",Impressions,2013-09-11 21:10:47 UTC,""
4178,"",Reading,2013-09-12 04:14:00 UTC,"Phil.
Beside Spirits, all that we know or conceive, are our own Ideas. When, therefore, you say, all Ideas are occasioned by Impressions in the Brain, do you conceive this Brain or no? If you do, then you talk of Ideas imprinted in an Idea, causing that same Idea, which is absurd. If you do not conceive it, you talk unintelligibly, instead of forming a reasonable Hypothesis.
Hyl.
I now clearly see it was a meer Dream. There is nothing in it.",,22727,"","""When, therefore, you say, all Ideas are occasioned by Impressions in the Brain, do you conceive this Brain or no? If you do, then you talk of Ideas imprinted in an Idea, causing that same Idea, which is absurd.""",Impressions,2013-09-12 04:14:00 UTC,""
4178,"",Reading,2013-09-12 05:20:29 UTC,"Phil.
Therefore, to explain the Phaenomena, is to shew how we come to be affected with Ideas, in that Manner and Series, wherein they are imprinted on our Senses. Is it not?
Hyl.
It is.
(pp. 127-8)",,22729,"","""Therefore, to explain the Phaenomena, is to shew how we come to be affected with Ideas, in that Manner and Series, wherein they are imprinted on our Senses.""",Impressions,2013-09-12 05:20:29 UTC,""