A Philosophical and Practical Treatise on the Will: Forming the Third Volume of a System of Mental Philosophy

Thomas Cogswell Upham

Harper & brothers, 1841 - Will - 411 pages

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Table of Contents

CHAPTER I	25

The Will should be examined in connexion with other parts of the mind 3 The states of the mind may be regarded in a threefold view	28

Evidence of the general arrangement from Consciousness	29

Obligatory feelings also in proximity with the will	30

Evidence of the same from terms found in different languages	31

Evidence from incidental remarks in writers	32

Of the strength of the desires	33

Of the strength of feelings of obligation	34

Distinction between the idea and reality of liberty	230

Of the source of our knowledge of liberty itself in distinction from the abstract idea of liberty	231

Of the precise import of the phrase moral liberty CHAPTER II	232

MENTAL HARMONY THE BASIS OR OCCASION OF MENTAL FREEDOM 141 Statement of the inquiry in this chapter	233

Occasions on which liberty exists	235

Of the circumstances under which this mental harmony may	236

Opinions of Bishop Butler on conscience	237

Objected that perfect harmony of the mind is not realized in the present life 236	239

Further proof from various writers on the mind	35

A knowledge of the Will implies a preliminary knowledge of the Intellect	37

Implies a preliminary knowledge also of the Sensibilities	38

CHAPTER II	40

The intellectual part the foundation or basis of the action of the other parts of the mind	41

The connexion of the understanding with the will	42

The connexion of the understanding with the will shown from its connexion with action 41	43

Further proof from an observation of the conduct of	45

Illustration of the statements of the preceding section	46

Of the nature of the connexion between the understanding and will	48

Of the opinions of Mr Locke on this point	49

Opinions of Sir James Mackintosh on the same subject	51

The understanding reaches the will through the sensibilities	53

The acts of the intellect the direct antecedents to emotions	54

Emotions change with changes in the intellectual perceptions	55

The powers of the will not perfectly correspondent to those of the intellect	56

An energetic will sometimes found in connexion with limited powers of intellect 2490073AD8 45 46 51 53 54 55 56	58

CHAPTER III	60

Of what are strictly included under the sensibilities	61

Acts of the intellect in immediate proximity with emotions	64

Emotions not in proximity with volitions	66

Emotions followed by desires and feelings of obligation	67

The necessity of that controlling power which exists in the will	78

Remarks on the nature of the will	80

Of the nature of the acts of the will or volitions	81

Volition never exists without some object	82

It exists only in reference to what we believe to be in our power	83

Volition relates to our own action and to whatever else may be dependent upon	84

Volitions involve a prospective element	87

Volitions may exist with various degrees of strength	88

Causes of the variation of the strength of the voluntary exercise	89

Further illustrations of the same subject	90

Of preference or indifference as applicable to the will 78	91

CHAPTER V	94

Probable cause of desires and volitions being confounded	95

The distinction of desires and volitions asserted by consciousness	96

Desires differ from volitions in fixedness and permanency	98

Further proof of this distinction from language	99

Sentiments of esteem and honour often imply this distinction	100

Of some strictures on the foregoing remarks of Reid	101

Volition may exist in respect to those complex acts which the mind can embrace as	103

If the distinction in question do not exist the foundation of morals becomes unsettled	105

Instances in illustration of the distinction in question	107

Other instances in illustration of proof 103	108

Of the chastisements of the Supreme Being inflicted on those he loves 109	111

60	113

61	115

PART II	117

CHAPTER I	119

Of the importance of the topics now entered upon	120

64	122

Section Page	123

66	124

CHAPTER II	130

Laws of the will inferred from the fact that in the administration	136

CHAPTER III	142

Of the reasonableness of the foregoing views	148

Other familiar instances of this foresight	154

Proof from the regularity observable in the commission of crime	161

Section Page	163

Statement of other laws that are involved in the constitution	169

A belief in the law of causality founded in the peculiar structure	175

Opinions of President Edwards on this subject	183

CHAPTER VII	190

Grounds or foundation of this belief	196

The inquiry whether the will has its laws preliminary to that of 119	200

120	202

its freedom 122	204

The character of motives depends in part on the constitutional traits of the individual	207

Their character depends in part on temporary influences Page 207	208

Further division of motives into Natural or Personal and Moral	209

Further statements illustrative of the distinction between natural and moral motives	210

Motives coextensive with volitions	212

Nature of the influence of motives	214

Of the wills being governed by the strongest motive	215

Of the elements of the contest within	218

I	219

CHAPTER I	223

Of unsuccessful attempts to explain the nature of freedom	224

Freedom considered as an element of thought rather than as a thing in actual realization is the name of a simple abstract idea	225

Occasions of the origin of the abstract idea of liberty	227

Of the undefinableness of the term freedom 137 Supposed definitions of freedom are either mere synonyms or em brace some element which itself r...	228

Objected that the foregoing views are necessarily and in their very terms inconsistent with liberty	242

FREEDOM OF THE WILL 148 Remarks on the nature of the freedom of the will	244

Of the relation of the freedom of the will to the fact of its subjec tion to law	245

Circumstances or occasions under which freedom of the will exists	247

Evidence of the freedom of the will from consciousness	249

Of an objection to the argument from consciousness	250

Illustration of the wills freedom drawn from the nature of motives	252

Remarks in continuation of this subject	253

FREEDOM OF THE WILL IMPLIED IN MANS MORAL nature	257

Proof from feelings of moral obligation	263

Evidence of the freedom of the will from the control which every	269

CHAPTER VI	277

The nature of mental enthralment illustrated by a reference	292

Enthralment of the will occasioned by predominant and overru	298

Of the slavery of the will in connexion with moral accountability	304

PART IV	307

CHAPTER I	309

Proof of the distinction between liberty and power	310

The distinction of power and liberty involved in the fact of our being able to form the abstract ideas of power and liberty	311

Distinction of power and liberty shown from language	312

Further shown from the fact of our possessing a moral nature	313

Origin of the idea of power in Original Suggestion	314

Occasions of the origin of the idea of power	315

The idea of power involves the reality of power	316

Things exist which are not made known by the senses	317

Of power as an attribute of the human mind	318

Further shown by a reference to the Divine Mind	320

CHAPTER II	322

The power of the will restricted and subordinate	323

Proof of power in the will from internal experience	324

Proved from the ability which we have to direct our attention to particular subjects	325

Proof of power in the will from observation	326

Of power of the will as exhibited in patience under suffering	328

Illustration of the subject from the command of temper	329

Further illustrations of this subject	330

Proved from the concealment of the passions on sudden and try ing occasions	331

Further instances of concealment and repression of the passions	333

Illustrated from the prosecution of some general plan	334

The subject illustrated from the course of the first settlers of NewEngland	336

Illustrated by the fortitude exhibited by Savages	337

CHAPTER III	338

Of a selfdetermining power of the mind	339

Of the objective or outward sphere of the minds activity	340

Of a selfdetermining power of the will	341

Of such a selfdetermining power of the will as involves the de pendence of the present volition on a former one	343

Opinions of President Edwards on this subject	344

CHAPTER IV	345

Remarks on constitutional weakness of the will	346

Section Page 224 Of comparative or relative weakness of the will	347

Instances of want of energy of the will	348

Remarks on great strength of the will	350

Energy of the will as displayed under bodily suffering	351

Energy of the will as shown in imminent danger	353

Energy of the will as shown in martyrdoms	354

Subject illustrated from two classes of public speakers	356

Power of the will requisite in the military and other arts	358

Energy of the will requisite in the men of revolutions	359

Practical application of these views	362

CHAPTER V	363

Illustrations of the inconsistent character	365

Illustrations of the consistent character	366

Of individuals remarkable for consistency of character	367

Of the value of consistency in the religious character	368

Of the foundation or basis of consistency and inconsistency of character	371

Of inconsistency of belief in connexion with inconsistency of conduct and character	372

Self possession an element of consistency of character	374

Consistency implies perseverance under changes of circumstances	375

Consistency implies a control over the passions	376

CHAPTER VI	378

A due balance of all the powers the most favourable state of things to the just exercise of the will	380

Of the culture of the appetites propensities and passions as aux iliary to the discipline of the will	382

Some instances and proofs of the foregoing statements	384

Importance of repressing the outward signs of the passions	387

249	390

250	392

Of aiding the will by a reference to the regard of others	394

Of aiding the will by a reference to the conscience	396

253	397

Of aiding the will by placing ourselves in circumstances which do not admit of a retreat	399

Of the effects of habit in giving strength to the will	400

Objected that the will is necessarily governed by the strongest motive 256	401

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Common terms and phrases

admit antecedent application assert belief Bishop Butler cause chapter character Cicero circumstances classes conduct connexion conscience consciousness consider consideration constitution course degree Deity depends desires and volitions direct distinction doctrine effect emotions ence enthralment entirely evidence exercise existence expressions fact feelings of obligation freedom fully furnish harmony human mind idea illustration implies important inquiry instance intel intellect involved Julius C�sar knowledge language law of Causality less liberty liberty and power Lucius Junius Brutus means mental merely Mirabeau Montesquieu moral government moral nature motives necessarily never nexion notice object obvious occasion operations outward particular passions perception perhaps person philosophical possess prescience present principle proposition reason reference regard relation remark respect seems sense Sensibilities slavery speak spect sphere statements strength subject to laws suppose term things tion true truly truth understanding undoubtedly universal various voluntary power wholly words writers

Bibliographic information

Title	A Philosophical and Practical Treatise on the Will: Forming the Third Volume of a System of Mental Philosophy
Author	Thomas Cogswell Upham
Publisher	Harper & brothers, 1841
Original from	Harvard University
Digitized	11 Nov 2008
Length	411 pages

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