"But this is evidently taking the question for granted: for it will not be allowed that willing is a necessary effect, which must imply a compelling efficient cause; or the mind like a balance to be moved with weights."

— Doddridge, Philip (1702-1751)


Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed by assignment from the author's widow, for J. Buckland, J. Rivington, R. Baldwin, L. Hawes, W. Clarke and R. Collins, W. Johnston, J. Richardson, S. Crowder and Co. T. Longman, B. Law, T. Field, and H. Payne and W. Cropley
Date
1763 (repr. 1776); 1794 (repr. 1799)
Metaphor
"But this is evidently taking the question for granted: for it will not be allowed that willing is a necessary effect, which must imply a compelling efficient cause; or the mind like a balance to be moved with weights."
Metaphor in Context
To the fourth argument (which is generally called choice ( which is generally called choice εν αδιαφορια) 'tis answered by the opposers of natural liberty, that no such case can occur that two objects should appear entirely equal: and if there did, then a choice would be impossible; for that would imply an effect without a cause, or a balance turning when the weights are equal.--But this is evidently taking the question for granted: for it will not be allowed that willing is a necessary effect, which must imply a compelling efficient cause; or the mind like a balance to be moved with weights. And as to the fact in question, a cause which we cannot assign is to us no cause: and yet in many such cases we determine.
(Part I, Proposition XVI, Scholium 4, p. 56)
Provenance
Reading in Google Books
Citation
4 entries in ESTC (1763, 1776, 1794, 1799).

First published as A Course of Lectures on the Principal subjects in Pneumatology, Ethics, and Divinity: with References to the Most Considerable Authors on Each Subject. By the late Reverend Philip Doddridge, D.D. (London: J. Buckland, J. Rivington, R. Baldwin, L. Hawes, W. Clarke and R. Collins, W. Johnston, J. Richardson, S. Crowder and Co. T. Longman, B. Law, T. Field, and H. Payne and W. Cropley, 1763). <Link to ECCO>

Text drawn from Philip Doddridge, A Course of Lectures on the Principal Subjects in Pneumatology, Ethics, and Divinity, Ed. Andrew Kippis, vol i (London: Printed for S. Crowder, T. Longman, B. Law and Son, G.G. and J. Robinson, etc., 1794). <Link to Google Books><Link to ECCO>

S. Clark's edition of 1763 was reprinted in 1776. The Kippis edition of 1794 was reprinted in 1799.
Date of Entry
09/15/2011

The Mind is a Metaphor is authored by Brad Pasanek, Assistant Professor of English, University of Virginia.