DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.48955#0313
orEXPLAINED. 3o?
circumstance, we can confine our attention to the
single property we desire to investigate.
43. Abstracl terms may be separated into three
difserent kinds, all equally subservient to the rea-
soiling faculty. Individuals appear to have no
end; and did we not poslels the faculty of distri-
bating them into class'es, the mind would be losi:
in an endless maze, and no progress be made in
knowledge. It is by the saculty of abstra£tion that
we distribute beings into genera and jpecies: find-
ing a number of individuals connetled by certain
qualities common to all, we give a name to these
individuals considered as thus conneded, which
name, by gathering them together into one class,
serves to express the whole of these individuals as
distinil from others. Thus the word animal ferves
to denote every being that can move voluntarily;
and the Words man, horfe, lion, ire. answer similar
purposes. This is the firfl: and molt common sort
of abstradion ; and it is of the molt extensive use,
by enabling us to comprehend in our reasoning
whole kinds and sorts, instead of individuals with-
out end. The next sort of abstrad terms compre-
hends a number of individual objects, considered
as conneded by some occasional relation. A great
number of persons collected in one place, without
any other relation but merely that of contiguity 9
are denominated a crowd: in fdrming this term
we abstrad from sex, from age , from condition
fromdress, &c. A number of persons con.ied-
V 3
circumstance, we can confine our attention to the
single property we desire to investigate.
43. Abstracl terms may be separated into three
difserent kinds, all equally subservient to the rea-
soiling faculty. Individuals appear to have no
end; and did we not poslels the faculty of distri-
bating them into class'es, the mind would be losi:
in an endless maze, and no progress be made in
knowledge. It is by the saculty of abstra£tion that
we distribute beings into genera and jpecies: find-
ing a number of individuals connetled by certain
qualities common to all, we give a name to these
individuals considered as thus conneded, which
name, by gathering them together into one class,
serves to express the whole of these individuals as
distinil from others. Thus the word animal ferves
to denote every being that can move voluntarily;
and the Words man, horfe, lion, ire. answer similar
purposes. This is the firfl: and molt common sort
of abstradion ; and it is of the molt extensive use,
by enabling us to comprehend in our reasoning
whole kinds and sorts, instead of individuals with-
out end. The next sort of abstrad terms compre-
hends a number of individual objects, considered
as conneded by some occasional relation. A great
number of persons collected in one place, without
any other relation but merely that of contiguity 9
are denominated a crowd: in fdrming this term
we abstrad from sex, from age , from condition
fromdress, &c. A number of persons con.ied-
V 3