Elements of the philosophy of the human mind. By Dugald Stewart. Rev. and abridged, with critical and explanatory notes, for the use of colleges and schools. By Francis Bowen ...

116 ABSTRACTION.
Refutation of -Dr. Price's arguments. —The explanation
which the doctrines of these writers afford, of the process of the
mind in general reasoning, is so simple, and at the same time,
in my apprehension, so satisfactory, that I own it is with some
degree of surprise I have read the attempts which have lately
been made to revive the systems of the Realists. One of the
ablest of these attempts is by Dr. Price, who, in his very valuable "Treatise on Morals," has not only employed his ingenuity
in support of some of the old tenets of the Platonic school, but
has even gone so far as to follow Plato's example, in connecting
this speculation about universals with the sublime questions of
natural theology. The observations which he has offered in
support of these opinions, I have repeatedly perused with all
the attention in my power, but without being able to enter into
his views, or even to comprehend fully his meaning. Indeed, I
must acknowledge that it appears to me to afford no slight presumption against the principles on which he proceeds, when I
observe, that an author, remarkable, on most occasions, for precision of ideas and for perspicuity of style, never fails to lose
himself in obscurity and mystery when he enters on these disquisitions.
Dr. Price's reasonings in proof of the existence of universals, are the more curious, as he acquiesces in some of Dr.
Reid's conclusions with respect to the ideal theory of perception. That there are, in the mind, images or resemblances of
things external, he grants to be impossible; but still he seems
to suppose, that in every exertion of thought, there is something
immediately present to the mind, which is the object of its attention. "When abstract truth is contemplated, is not," says he,
"the very object itself present to the mind? When millions of
intellects contemplate the equality of every angle in a semicircle
to a right angle, have they not all the same object in view? is
this object nothing? or is it only an image, or kind of shadow?
These inquiries," he adds, "carry our thoughts high."
* The whole passage is as follows: " The word idea is sometimes used
to signify the inmmediate object of the mind in thinking, considered as