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"Now Sense, that is a Living Eye or Mirror, as soon as ever it is Converted toward this Object, will here Passively perceive an Appearance of an Individual Thing, as existing without it, White and Triangular, without any Distinction Concretely and Confusedly together; and it will perceive no more than this, though it dwell never so long upon this Object; for it perceives no more than is impressed upon it; and here the Passion of Sense ends and goes no further."

— Cudworth, Ralph (1617-1688)

Author

Cudworth, Ralph (1617-1688)

Work Title

A Treatise Concerning Eternal and Immutable Morality

Place of Publication

London

Publisher

Printed for James and John Knapton

Date

1731

Metaphor

"Now Sense, that is a Living Eye or Mirror, as soon as ever it is Converted toward this Object, will here Passively perceive an Appearance of an Individual Thing, as existing without it, White and Triangular, without any Distinction Concretely and Confusedly together; and it will perceive no more than this, though it dwell never so long upon this Object; for it perceives no more than is impressed upon it; and here the Passion of Sense ends and goes no further."

Metaphor in Context

3. Wherefore, that we may the better illustrate this Business, let us suppose some Individual Body; as for Example, a White or Black Triangular Superficies, or a Solid Four-Square included all within a Triangular Superficies, exposed first to the View of Sense or a Living Eye; and then afterward considered by the Intellect, that we may see the Difference betwixt the Passive Perception of it by Sense, and the Active Comprehension, of it by the Understanding. Now Sense, that is a Living Eye or Mirror, as soon as ever it is Converted toward this Object, will here Passively perceive an Appearance of an Individual Thing, as existing without it, White and Triangular, without any Distinction Concretely and Confusedly together; and it will perceive no more than this, though it dwell never so long upon this Object; for it perceives no more than is impressed upon it; and here the Passion of Sense ends and goes no further. But the Mind or Intellect residing in the same Soul that hath a Power of Sensation also, then beginning to make a Judgment upon that which is thus Passively perceived, Exerts its own Innate Vigour and Activity, and displays it self gradually after this manner. For, First, with its subtle Divisive Power, it will Analyse and resolve this Concrete Phantasmatical Whole, and take Notices of several distinct Intellectual Objects in it. For Considering that every White or Black Thing is not necessarily Triangular, nor every Triangular Thing White or Black, it finds here two distinct Intellectual Objects; the one White, the other Triangular: And then again, because that which is Nothing can have no Affections, it concludes, that here is something as a Common Subject to both these Affections or Modifications, which it calls a Corporeal Substance; which being one and the same Thing, is here both White and Triangular. Wherefore it finds at least three distinct Objects of Intellectual Cogitation, Corporeal Substance, White, and Triangular, all Individual. But then reflecting again upon these several Objects, and that it may further enquire into the Natures and Essences of them, it now bids adieu to Sense and Singularity; and taking an higher Flight, considers them all Universally and abstractly from Individuating Circumstances and Matter.[...] (IV.iii.3, pp. 192-4)