"Aristotle, indeed, affirms the Mind to be at first a mere Rasa Tabula; and that these Notions are not ingenite, and imprinted by the Finger of Nature, but by the latter and more languid Impressions of Sense; being only the Reports of Observation, and the Result of so many repeated Experiments."
— South, Robert (1634-1716)
Author
Place of Publication
Dublin
Publisher
Printed for atrick Dugan and Joseph Leathly
Date
1720
Metaphor
"Aristotle, indeed, affirms the Mind to be at first a mere Rasa Tabula; and that these Notions are not ingenite, and imprinted by the Finger of Nature, but by the latter and more languid Impressions of Sense; being only the Reports of Observation, and the Result of so many repeated Experiments."
Metaphor in Context
I. For the Understanding Speculative. There are some general Maxims and Notions in the Mind of Man, which are the Rules of Discourse, and the Basis of all Philosophy. As that the same Thing cannot at the same Time be, and not be. That the Whole is bigger than a Part. That two Dimensions severally equal to a third, must also be equal to one another. Aristotle, indeed, affirms the Mind to be at first a mere Rasa Tabula; and that these Notions are not ingenite, and imprinted by the Finger of Nature, but by the latter and more languid Impressions of Sense; being only the Reports of Observation, and the Result of so many repeated Experiments.
But to this I answer two Things.
(1.) That these Notions are universal; and what is universal must needs proceed from some universal, constant Principle, the [end page 17] same in all Particulars, which here can be nothing else but human Nature.
(2.) These cannot be infused by Observation, because they are the Rules by which Men take their first Apprehensions and Observations of Things, and therefore in Order of Nature must needs precede them: As the Being of the Rule must be before its Application to the thing directed by it. From whence it follows, that these were Notions not descending from us, but born with us; not our Off-spring, but our Brethren; and (as I may so say) such as we were taught without the help of a Teacher.
(pp. 17-8)
But to this I answer two Things.
(1.) That these Notions are universal; and what is universal must needs proceed from some universal, constant Principle, the [end page 17] same in all Particulars, which here can be nothing else but human Nature.
(2.) These cannot be infused by Observation, because they are the Rules by which Men take their first Apprehensions and Observations of Things, and therefore in Order of Nature must needs precede them: As the Being of the Rule must be before its Application to the thing directed by it. From whence it follows, that these were Notions not descending from us, but born with us; not our Off-spring, but our Brethren; and (as I may so say) such as we were taught without the help of a Teacher.
(pp. 17-8)
Categories
Provenance
Searching "tabula rasa" in ECCO
Citation
South, Robert. Thirty six sermons and discourses, on several subjects and occasions. By Robert South. The fifth edition Vol. 1. Dublin, 1720. 2 vols. Based on information from English Short Title Catalogue. Eighteenth Century Collections Online. Gale Group. http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/ECCO
Theme
Blank Slate
Date of Entry
10/09/2006
