RICHARD SHUTE, M.A.,

SENIOR STUDENT AND TUTOR OF CHRIST CHURCH, OXFORD.

HENRY S. KING & Co., LONDON.

1877.

14 20. EHW

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

PRELIMINARY.

The Problem before us-Words which require no verbal explanation-Truth
not one of these-Definitions of Truth by the Philosophers-Attempt at a
more exhaustive analysis-Apologetic.

CHAPTER II.

ON DEFINITION.

Words with which Definition is concerned-Definition by means of Simple
Ideas-Sensations of Sight the first, most frequent, and most lasting-The
Ideas of Sight are therefore the most convenient for definition-Defini-
tions of Individuals, Natural Kinds, and Artificial Classes.

CHAPTER III.

OF TRUE PROPOSITIONS.

The object of Proposition-Negative use of Universal Propositions—The ab-
horrence of Doubt and consequent arbitrary value put upon propositions—
Contradictory Instance-Absolute vagueness of Particular Propositions-
Propositions as to Artificial Kinds.

CHAPTER IV.

OF CAUSE AND THE LAW OF UNIVERSAL CAUSATION.

Two distinct questions-Cause an arbitrary link between phænomena-Attri-
bution and Causation-The primæval Savage-The supposed Law of the
Uniformity of Nature-The Future and The Past-Theological Difficulty
-Hume's theory--The Idea of Cause -Animistic Nature thereof.

CHAPTER V.

OF INDUCTION.

Artificial Causes-Experiment-Symbolic Proof-Counteracting Causes-

Recondite Attributes preferred-Instance of Induction.

CHAPTER VI.

OF SYLLOGISM AND DEDUCTIVE REASONING.

Natural and Artificial Propositions—Valuable Deductions chiefly those with

many terms-Mr. Mill's theory-Note-book or Account-book?-Locke's

criticism-True form of Syllogism.

CHAPTER VII.

OF THE MATTER OF THOUGHT.

Thought chiefly of words-The Picture-thought of the Savage-Symbolic

Thought--Its loss and gain—Objections of Philosophy and of Common

Sense-Imagination and Poetry-Utopian.

CHAPTER VIII.

OF NECESSARY TRUTHS.

Truths Logical, Mathematical, and Metaphysical-The Three Logical Laws—

In no sense Laws of Thought-The Nature of Number-The higher

Numbers meaningless-In what sense are Laws of Number necessary?

CHAPTER IX.

EPILOGUE.

True import of Treatise-Historical standpoint-Relation to Theology-A

bold Metaphor.

A DISCOURSE ON TRUTH

CHAPTER I.

PRELIMINARY.

ALL those serene philosophers, who from age to age have ascended above the mists of earth into the pure æther of speculation, have ever been at pains to inform us that the aim of their pursuit was the Truth. This it is that they profess to discover to mankind, whether they offer it to them in its simple form, or in that more refined quintessence, which they are wont to call Truth absolute or Truth for all intelligence. As the results which they respectively bring down to us seem, at least to the eye of the uninitiated, to differ greatly both in colour and form, a simple man might reasonably ask whether the thing which all seek is precisely the same, and might desire some explanation of the object of their search. 'Tell me,' he might say, 'what is that which you expect to find, and how you will know it when you have hit upon it.' He might ask with Pilate, 'What is truth?'

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