Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

mind fucceffively can conceive, and from
which conclufions may be drawn. And
others conceive reafon as no other than
the understanding itself confidered as it
difcourfes. See UNDERSTANDING.
Reafon, Mr. Locke obferves, contains
two diftinct faculties of the mind, viz.
fagacity, whereby it finds intermediate
ideas; and illation, whereby it fo orders
and difpofes of them, as to difcover
what connection there is in each link of
the chain, whereby the extremes are
held together; and thereby, as it were,
draws into view the truth fought for.
Illation, or inference, confifts in nothing
but the perception of the connection
there is between the ideas in each step of
the deduction, whereby the mind comes
to fee either the agreement or disagree-
ment of any two ideas, as in demon-
Aration, in which it arrives at knowledge;
or their probable connection, on which
it gives or with-holds its affent, as in
opinion. See the articles DEMONSTRA-
TION, KNOWLEDGE, &c.

Senfe and intuition reach but a little way,
the greateft part of our knowledge depends
upon deductions and intermediate ideas.
In those cases where we must take pro-
pofitions for true, without being certain
that they are fo, we would need to find
out, examine, and compare the grounds
of their probability. In both cafes the
faculty which finds out the means, and
rightly applies them to difcover certainty
in the one, and probability in the other,
is that which we call reason. In reason,
therefore, we may confider four degrees;
firt, the difcovering and finding out of
proofs. See the article INVENTION.
Secondly, the regular and methodical
difpofition of them, and laying them in
fuch order, as that their connection may
be plainly perceived. See METHOD.
Thirdly, the perceiving of their con-
nection. See JUDGMENT. And,
Fourthly, the making a right conclufion.
See the article CONCLUSION.
Concerning reafon, Mr. Locke thinks
that fyllogifm, as was generally thought,
is not the proper inftrument of it, nor
the usefulleft way of exercising this
faculty. See SYLLOGISM.

Reafon, though of very large extent, fails us in feveral inftances, as firit, where our ideas fail; fecondly, it is often at a lofs, becaufe of the obfcurity, confufion, or imperfection of the ideas it is employed about: thus, having no perfect idea of the least extenfion of matter, nor of in

finity, we are at a lofs about the divifibility of matter. Thirdly, our reason is often at a ftand, because it perceives not those ideas which would ferve to fhew the certain or probable agreement or difagreement of any two other ideas. Fourthly, our reafon is very often engaged in abfurdities, and difficulties, by proceeding upon falfe principles, which being followed, lead men into contradictions to themfelves and inconfiftency in their own thoughts. Fifthly, dubious words, and uncertain figns, often puzzle men's reafon, and bring them to a nonplus. Though the deducing one propofition from another be a great part of reason, and that which it is ufually employed about, yet the principal act of ratiocination is the finding the agreement or difagreement of two ideas one with another by the intervention of a third; as a man by a yard finds two houses to be of the fame length, which could not be brought together to measure their equality by juxta-position. Words have their confequences as the figns of such ideas; and things agree or disagree with what they really are, but we obferve it only by our ideas. Hence we may be able to form an idea of that ordinary diftinction of things into those that are according to, those that are above, and those contrary to, reason. Those according to reason, are fuch propofitions whofe truth we can difcover by examining and tracing those ideas we have from fenfation and reflection, and by a natural deduction find to be true or probable. Above reafon are fuch propofitions, whofe truth or probability we cannot by reafon derive from thefe principles. Contrary to reafon are fuch propofitions as are inconfiftent with, or irreconcileable to, our clear and diftin&t ideas. Thus the exiftence of one God is according to reafon ; the existence of more than one God, contrary to reafon; and the refurrection of the body after death, above reafon. Above reafon may also be taken in a double sense, viz. above probability, or above certainty.

Reafon, as contradiftinguished to faith, Mr. Locke takes to be the difcovery of the certainty or probability of tuch propofitions or truths, as the mind arrives at, by deductions made from fuch ideas, which it has got by the ufe of its natural faculties, viz. by fenfation or reflection; whereas faith, on the other hand, is the alent to any propofition upon the credit of the propofer, as coming immediately

from

lations of our ideas, where many middle terms being called in, the conclufion cannot be made out, but in confequence of a series of fyllogifms following one another in train. Hence we may clearly perceive that reafoning, in the highest exercise of that faculty, is no more than an orderly combination of fimple acts of reafoning. See DEMONSTRATION. Thus we fee that reasoning, beginning with first principles, rifes gradually from one judgment to another, and connects them in fuch a manner that every stage of the progreffion brings intuitive certainty along with it.

from God, which we call revelation. See FAITH and REVELATION, This use of the word reafon, our author takes to be very improper; faith, as has been already obferved, being nothing alfe but a firm affent of the mind, which if regulated, as is our duty, cannot be afforded to any thing but upon good reafon, and so cannot be oppofite to it. REASON is alfo taken in different other fignifications; fometimes it denotes true and clear principles; fometimes it is taken for clear and fair deductions from thefe principles; and fometimes for the caufe, particularly the final cause. REASONABLE AID was antiently a duty that the lord of the fee claimed of his tenants holding by knight's fervice, or focage, towards marrying his daughter, or the making his eldest son a knight. REASONING, RATIOCINATION, the exercife of the faculty of the mind called reafon; or it is an act or operation of the mind, deducing fome unknown propofition from other previous ones that are evident and known. See REASON.

It often happens in the comparing ideas together, that their agreement or difagreement cannot be difcerned at first view, especially if they are of fuch a nature as not to admit of an exact application to one another: here then, as has been already observed under Reason, it becomes neceffary to look out after fome third idea that will admit of such an application as the prefent cafe requires. Hence it appears that every act of reafoning neceffarily includes three diftin&t judgments, two wherein the ideas whofe relation we want to difcover, are feverally compared with the middle idea, and a third wherein they are themselves connected, or disjoined according to the refult of that comparifon. Now, as our judgments when put into words are called propofitions, fo the expreffions of our reafonings are termed fyllogifms. And hence it follows that as every act of reafoning implies three feveral judgments, fo every fyllogifm must include three diftinct propofitions. See the article SYLLOGISM.

In order therefore to infer a conclufion by a fingle act of reasoning, the premises must be intuitive propofitions; where they are not, previous fyllogifms are required, in which cafe reafoning becomes a complicated act taken in a variety of fucceffive fteps. This frequently happens in tracing the more remote re

All the aims of human reasoning may in the general be reduced to these two. 1. To rank things under those universal ideas to which they truly belong; and, 2. To afcribe to them their feveral attributes and properties in confequence of that diftribution.

This firft aim of reafon then is to determine the genera and fpecies of things: and the fecond end regards the sciences and the affairs of common life. See the articles GENUS, SPECIES, &c.

As in tracing the most diftant relation of things we must always have recourse to intervening ideas, and are more or less fuccefsful in our. researches, according to our acquaintance with thofe ideas, and ability of applying them, it is evident that to make a good reasoner two things are principally required; first, an extensive knowledge of thofe intermediate ideas, by means of which things may be compared one with another; fecondly, the skill and talent of applying them happily in all particular inftances that come under confideration.

There is another fpecies of reafoning with two propofitions, which feems to be compleat in itself, and where we admit the conclufion without fuppofing any tacit or fuppreffed judgment in the mind from which it follows fyllogiftically. This happens between propofitions where the connection is fuch that the admiffion of the one neceffarily, and at the first fight, implies the admiffion alfo of the other: for if it falls out that, the propofition on which the other depends is felf-evident, we content ourfelves with barely affirming it, and infer that other by a direct conclufion : thus, by admitting an univerfal propofition we are forced alfo to admit of all the particular propofitions comprehended under it; this being the very condition

that

that conftitutes a propofition univerfal. If then that univerfal propofition chances to be felf evident, the particular ones follow of courfe, without any farther train of reafoning.

Another fpecies of reafoning is that called by logicians induction; in order to the right understanding of which, it will be neceffary to obferve, that our general ideas are for the most part capable of various fubdivifions: thus the idea of the loweft fpecies may be fubdivided into its feveral individuals; the idea of any genus into the different fpecies it comprehends, and fo of the reft. If then we fuppofe the diftribution to be duly made, fo as to take in the whole extent of the idea to which it belongs, then it is plain that all the fubdivifions or parts of any idea taken together conftitute that whole idea: thus the feveral individuals of any fpecies taken together conftitute the whole fpecies, and all the various fpecies comprehended under any genus make up the whole genus; this being allowed, it is apparent that whatever may be affirmed of all the feveral fubdivifions and claffes of any idea ought to be affirmed of the whole general idea to which thefe fubdivifions belong. What may be affirmed of all the individuals of any fpecies, may be affirmed of the whole fpecies; and what may be affirmed of all the species of any genus, may also be affirmed of the whole genus. This way of reafoning, where we infer univerfally concerning any idea, what we had before affirmed or denied feparately of all its fe veral fubdivifions and parts, is called reafoning by induction: thus, if we fuppofe the whole tribe of animals fubdivided into men, beafts, birds, infects and fishes, and then reafon concerning them in this manner; all men have a power of beginning motion, all beats, birds, and infects have a power of beginning motion, all fishes have a power of beginning motion; therefore all animals have a power of beginning motion.

For the method of reasoning by a concatenation of fyllogifms, fee the article DEMONSTRATION.

For the method of reafoning by dilemma, fee the article DILEMMA.

For the four arguments commonly used

in reafoning, fee ARGUMENT. RE-ATTACHMENT, in law, is a fecond attachment of a perfon, who was VOL. IV,

formerly attached and difmiffed the court without day, on account of the not coming of the juftices, or other fuch cafualty without which, a caufe difcontinued cannot be revived, but the defendant muft plead de novo. RE-BAPTISANTS, the fame with anabaptifts. See ANABAPTISTS. REBATE, or REBATEMENT, in com

merce, a term much used at Amsterdam, for an abatement in the price of several commodities, when the buyer, instead of taking time advances ready money. Rebate, which among us is ufually called prompt-payment, is estimated by months, and is only allowed for certain merchandize, which, according to the cu ftom of Amfterdam, are German wools, Spanish wools, Athes and pot-afhes, Italian filks, Sugars of Brafil,

15

31

18

33

18

That is, thofe commodities are fold for ready money, only deducting or rebating the intereft of the money, which need not have been paid till the end of 15, 21, &c. months. This intereft is ufually regulat ed on the foot of 8 per cent, per annum. REBATEMENT, in heraldry, a dimi

nution or abatement of the bearings in a coat of arms. See ABATEMENT.

REBEL, a town of Germany, in the

dutchy of Mecklenburgh, thirty-two miles fouth-east of Guftrow. REBELLION, a traiterous taking up of arms against the king by his own natural fubjects, or thofe formerly fubdued. Commiffion of REBELLION. See the article

COMMISSION.

REBELLIOUS ASSEMBLY, in law, an affembling together of twelve or more perfons, with an intent of unlawfully making use of their own authority, to change or alter any laws of this kingdom, or to deftroy the inclosures of any ground, or the banks of any fish-pond, pool or conduit, to the intent that it may lie wage and void; or to destroy the deer in any park, fish in fish-ponds, coneys in any wairen; or any house, barn, mills, or bays; or to burn ftacks of corn, abate rents, or prices of victuals, &c. See the article RIOT.

REBOUND, See the article RECO REBUS, an ænigmatical reprefentation of fome name, &r, by ufing figures or pictures inftead of words, or parts of words. 15 U Camden

[ocr errors]

RECEIPT of the exchequer. See the article EXCHEQUER.

RECEIPT, in medicine. See RECIPE. Auditor of the RECEIPTS. See the article AUDITOR.

Camden mentions an inftance of this abfurd kind of wit in a gallant who expreffed his love to a woman, named Rofe Hill, by painting in the border of his gown a rofe, a bill, an eye, a loaf, and a well; which, in the ftyle of the rebus, reads, Rofe Hill I love well. This kind of wit was long practifed by the great, who took the pains to find devices for their names. It was, however, happily ridiculed by Ben Johnson, in the humourous defcription of Abel Dugger's device, in the Alchemift; and by the Spectator, in the device of Jack of New. berry; at which time the rebus, being raifed to fign pofts, was grown out of fashion at court.

REBUTTER, in law, the defendant's anfwer to the plaintiff's furrejoinder, in a caufe depending in the court of chancery, &c. Allo when a perfon warrants lands, &c. to another, and he that has the warranty, or his heir, fues him to whom the warranty is made, or his heirs or affignee for the fame thing; if he, who is fued, plead the deed or fine with warranty, and pray judgment whether the plaintiff fhall be received to demand the thing which he ought to warrant to the party, against the warranty in the deed, &c. this is called a rebutter.

RECANATI, a town of Italy, in the province of Ancona, fix miles west of Loretto. RECAPITULATION, in oratory, &c. a part of the peroration. See the article PERORATION.

Recapitulation is a fummary, or a concife and tranfient enumeration of the principal things infifted on in the preceding difcourfe, whereby the force of the whole is collected into one view. RECAPTION, in law, the taking a fecond distress of one formerly diftrained for the fame caufe during the plea grounded upon the former diftreis. It is alfo the name of a writ which lies for the party thus diftrained, to recover damages, &c.

RECEIPT, or RECEIT, in commerce, an

acquittance, or discharge, in writing, intimating that the party has received a certain fum of money, either in full for the whole debt, or in part, or on ac

count.

RECEIPT, in book-keeping, is an account of all the money and goods received, See the article Book.

RECEIPT, or RESCEIT, in law. See the article RESCEIT.

3

*

RECEIVER, in chemistry, a vessel of earth, glafs,&c. for receiving any distilled liquor. RECEIVER, in pneumatics, a glafs-veffel for containing the thing on which an experiment in the air-pump is to be made. See AIR-PUMP, EXHAUSTED, &c. There are feveral forts of glass-receivers ; As A (plate CCXXVIII, fig. 3. no x.) open at top, covered with a brass-plate, and oiled leather, at D, and kept down by the cross piece EF, fcrewed down upon the pillars B, C, which are screwed into the table of the air-pump. See the articles AIR and PUMP.

H (ib. n° 2.) is a receiver open at top, with a plate and collar of wet leathers K, through which goes the flip-wire G I, fo tight as to let in no air: this wire ferves to lift any thing by its hook.

M (ib. n° 3.) is a transferrer, or receiver, that may be taken off from the pump, in an exhausted state; N being a plate and leather, on which stands the receiver M, clofe at top; and O, a cock, to open or fhut the paffage. Now, the cock being open, and the air exhaufted by the pump, if the cock be fhut, the receiver and pipe may be taken away from the air-pump, the vacuum remaining in M.

Mr. Boyle obferves, that a very small crack in the receiver, used in pneumatical experiments, does not render them ufelefs; for upon evacuating the internal air, the external preffing the glafs on all fides, brings the edges of the glass close together. But in cafe of confiderable flaws a plafter may be applied, made of quick-lime, finely powdered, and nimbly ground, with a proper quantity of the Icrapings of cheese, and water enough to bring the mixture to a foft pafte; which, when the ingredients are well incorporated, will have a strong and fetid fcent; and then it must be immediately spread upon a linen-cloth, and applied, left it begin to harden.

RECEIVER, receptor or receptator, in law, is commonly understood in a bad fenfe, and used for fuch as knowingly receive ftolen goods from thieves, and conceal them. This crime is felony, and the punishment is tranfportation for fourteen years.

RECEIVER

RECEIVER allo fignifies an officer; of which there are feveral kinds, denominated from the particular matters they receive, the places where, or the perfons from whom, &c. 1. Receiver of the fines is an officer appointed to receive the money of fuch perfons as compound with the king, upon original writs fued out of chancery. 2. Receiver general of the dutchy of Lancaster is an officer belong. ing to the dutchy-court, who collects all the revenues, fines, forfeitures, and affeffments within that dutchy. 3. Receiver general of the public revenue, is an officer appointed in every county, to receive the taxes granted by parliament, and remit the money the treasury. RECEPTACULUM CHYLI, or PECQUET'S RESERVATORY, the reservoir or receptacle for the chyle, fituated in the left fide of the upper vertebra of the loins, under the aorta, and the veffels of the left kidney. See CHYLIFICATION and THORACIC DUCT. RECEPTACULUM SEMINUM, RECEP

TACLE OF THE SEED, a term uled by botanists, for the bafe, or thalamus, which fupports the feeds: the dife of this part is either flat, concave, convex, globular, or pyramidal; and its furface is fometimes naked, and fometimes palea

ceous.

RECESSUS IMPERII, or RECESS of the empire, fignifies a collection of the determinations of a diet of the german empire. See DIET and EMPIRE. RECHABITES, a kind of religious order among the antient Jews, inftituted by Jonadab, the fon of Rechab, comprehending only his own family and pofterity. Their founder prefcribed them three things: first, not to drink any wine; fecondly, not to build any houfes, but to dwell in tents; and thirdly, not to fow any corn, or plant vines. These roles the rechabites obferved with great strictnefs,

RECHACING, in hunting, driving back the deer, or other beafs, into the forefts, chaces, &c. from whence they had ftrayed.

RECHANGE, or RE-EXCHANGE, the articles RE-EXCHANGE.

See

At fea they use the term rechange for a tackle kept in referve, in cafe that already in ufe thould fail. See TACKLE. RECHARGE, a fecond charge or loading of a fire-arm,

The recharge fhould never be fo deep as the first charge, left the piece, being overheated, fhould burft

RECHEAT, in hunting, a leffon which the huntsmen play on the born, when the hounds have loft their game, to call thein back from puguing a counter-fcent. RECIPE, in medicine, a prefeription or remedy, to be taken by a patient; fo called because always beginning with the word recipe, i. e. take; which is generally denoted by the abbreviature B. For the rules proper to be oblerved in forming recipes, fee PRESCRIPTION. RECIPIANGLE, or RECIPIENT-ANGLE, a mathematical inftrument, ferving to measure re-entering and faliant angles, efpecially in fortification.

It ufually confifts of two arms, or rulers, AC, and BC (plate CCXXVIII. fig. 4. n° 1.) rivetted together at C, and capable of being opened and closed, like a fector. To take an angle with it, they lay the center of a protractor over the joint C, and apply its diameter to one of the rulers; then the degrees cut by the edge of the other ruler, fhew the quantity of the angle.

There are other forms of this inftrument; that represented ibid. no z. has a graduated circle, by which the angles may be readily meafured by its index : and no 3. ibid. is another kind compofed of four equal rulers of brass, rivetted together by their ends, so as to form a parallelo. gram; and on one of the rulers is fixed a graduated femi-circle, which measures the oppofite angle of the parallelogram, by means of one of the rulers produced, fo as to ferve inftead of an index. RECIPIENT, the fame with receiver. See the article RECEIVER. RECIPROCAL, in general, fomething that is mutual, or which is returned equally on both fides, or that affects both parties alike.

There are reciprocal duties between the prince and his fubjects, between the hufband and wife, &c. alfo in a phyfical fenfe, the action between the agent and patient is reciprocal: that is, the patient re-acts as much upon the agent, as this acts upon it. See RE-ACTION. RECIPROCAL TERMS, among logicians, are thofe which have the fame fignification; and confequently are convertible, or may be used for each other.

RECIPROCAL VERSES, in grammar, are those which exprefs an action that is reAlected upon the agent or agents, as, Ces quatre hommes s'entrebattoient. Thefe four men fought together. Reciprocal verses, in poetry, are such as 15 U a

гип

« ZurückWeiter »