and cannot exift independent of each other: 1 mind mind in idea. This leads directly to the definition of an abstract idea, viz. " A par ◄tial view of a complex object, limited to one or more of the component parts or properties, laying afide or abstracting " from others." A word that denotes an abstract idea, is called an abstract term. in 40. The power of abftraction is bestowed upon man, for the purposes folely of reafoning. It tends greatly to the facility as well as clearness of any procefs of reasoning, that, withdrawing from every other circumftance, we can confine our attention to the fingle property we defire to investigate. -0041. Abstract ideas, may, I think, be distinguished into three different kinds, all equally fubfervient to the reasoning faculty. Individuals appear to have no end; and did we not poffefs the faculty of diftributing them into claffes, the mind would be loft in an endless variety, and no progress be made in knowledge. It is by the faculty of abftraction that we diftribute beings into genera and fpecies: finding a number of individuals connected by certain qualities common to all, we give a name to these individuals 3 E 2 individuals confidered as thus connected. which name, by gathering them together into one clafs, ferves in a curt manner to express the whole of thefe individuals as diftinct from others. Thus the word animal serves to denote every being which hath self-motion; and the words man, horse, lion, &c. anfwer fimilar purposes. This is the first and most common fort of abftraction; and it is of the most extensive use, by enabling us to comprehend in our rea foning whole kinds and forts, instead of individuals without end. The next fort of abstract ideas and terms comprehends a number of individual objects confidered as connected by fome occafional relation. A great number of perfons collected together in one place, without any other relation but merely that of contiguity, are denominated a crowd: in forming this term, we abstract from fex, from age, from condition, from drefs, &c. A number of perfons connected by being fubjected to the fame laws and to the fame government, are termed a nation; and a number of men fubjected to the fame mili tary tary command, are termed an army. A third fort of abftraction is, where a fingle property or part, which may be common to many individuals, is felected to be the fubject of our contemplation; for example, whitenefs, heat, beauty, length, roundness, head, arm. 42. Abstract terms are a happy invention: it is by their means chiefly, that the particulars which we make the fubject of our reafoning, are brought into close union, and feparated from all others however naturally connected. Without the aid of fuch terms, the mind could never be kept fteady to its proper fubject, but would perpetually be in hazard of affuming foreign circumstances or neglecting what are effential. In a word, a general term denotes in a curt manner certain objects occafionally combined. We can, without the aid of language, compare real objects by intuition, when these objects are prefent; and, when abfent, we can compare them by means of the ideas we have of them: but when we advance farther, and attempt to make inferences, and draw conclufions, we always employ abstract abstract terms, even in thinking. It would be as difficult to reafon without them, as to perform operations in algebra without figns for there is scarce any reasoning without fome degree of abftraction; and we cannot abstract to purpose without making ufe of general terms. Hence it follows, that without language man would scarce be a rational being. $43. The fame thing, in different refpects, has different names. With refpect to certain qualities, it is termed a fubftance; with respect to other qualities, a body; and with respect to qualities of all forts, a fubject: it is termed à paffive fubject with respect to an action exerted upon it; an object with respect to a percipient; a caufe with refpect to the effect it produces; refpect to its cause. and an effect with |