Section VII; Of the Idea of Necessary Connection:
Part I:
Not from outside
Only conjunction of ideas no impression of power.
Not from inside
Action of mind on Body
1. Mind-body union mysterious
2. No universal control over organs. Can’t move all organs with same degree of ease.
3. Immediate object of motion is nerves, not aware of this.
Mental action:
1. Don’t know the soul, the cause of ideas.
2. Command of Mind over itself is limited.
3. Command different at different times.
God as source of connection
1. Too far removed from experience to carry conviction
2. We cannot know of the power of God upon our ideas either.
Part II:
There is no source of necessity in events; they are entirely loose and separate.
The source of the idea of Necessity is the sentiment or feeling by which our custom and habit moves from the idea of the cause to the idea of the effect as a result of its constant conjunction in experience.
Section VIII. Of Liberty and Necessity:
Part I. Once we get clear about the meaning of our terms we will see that there is really no dispute about the necessity of human actions.
Whole content of idea of necessity is the constant conjunction of similar objects and our custom to associate them.
The first (constant conjunction) is present in human action. The same volitions and desires have the same effects.
The second (customary inference from one to another) is necessary for prediction and understanding of human activity.
Objection: We are often uncertain as to how humans will act. They never act with complete regularity.
Response: Any uncertainty as to the necessity of causal connections gives rise to the assumption of the secret opposition of contrary causes.
Hence all men agree as to the necessity of human actions.
Source of opposing opinion: We feel no connection between our volitions and our actions, but we think we do feel such a connection in external causes. But this latter opinion is mistaken.
Liberty is the power to act according to the determinations of the will. This we all agree we can do unless constrained by external forces.
Part II:
This view of necessity not pernicious to morality and religion, but necessary to its support:
Necessary for any system of rewards and punishments. Actions have moral status only as indications of our hidden character.
Objection: If there is one chain of necessary causes from any action to the beginning of time then there is no contingency and God is the author of all actions.
Response:
(1) actions can still be resented and viewed as crimes if they flow from a whole which is seen as being all good.
(2) The problem of reconciling human freedom with God as cause and knower of all things is too difficult and mysterious a doctrine to serve as an objection to the common sense application of this doctrine
© 2006 David Banach
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
