A Free Discussion of the Doctrine of Materialism, and Philosophical Necessity (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1778. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... THE INTRODUCTION. THIS work, it will be owned, exhibits an uncommon, if not a singular spectacle, viz. that os two persons discussing, with the most perfect freedom and candour, questions which are generally deemed of the greatest consequence in practice, and which are certainly so in theory. The occasion of it was as follows. When my Disquifitmts DEGREES &c. was printed off, I put it, as I have observed, into the hands of several os my friends, both well and ill affected b to to my general hypothesis, that I might take the advantage of their remarks, in an additional meet of Illustrations DEGREES which is accordingly annexed to the first volume. Among others, Dr. Price was so obliging as to enter into a more particular discussion of several of the subjects of the work; and afterwards, imagining that I meant to write a direct answer to his remarks, he expressed a wish that I would print them at large, together with any notice that I should think proper to take of them. This, I told him, did not fall within my views with respect to that particular publication, but that I would' take the liberty to propose another scheme, which I thought would correspond with both our views, and be useful to others who might wish to fee the arguments on both sides freely canvassed, without the the mixture os any thing personal, or foreign to the subject, which often constitutes a great part of the bulk of controversial writings, and tends to divert the mind from an attention to the real merits of the question in debate. It was, that he should re-write his remarks, after seeing what use I had already made of them in my meet os Illujlrations; that I would then reply to them distinctly, article by article, that he should remark, and I reply again, &c. till we should both be satisfied that we had d..