An Enquiry into the Ideas of Space, Time, Immensity, and Eternity; As also the Self-Existence, Necessary Existence, and Unity of the Divine Nature; In Answer to a Book lately Publish'd by Mr. Jackson, entitled, The Existence and Unity of God proved from his Nature and Attributes. To which is added, A Dissertation upon the Argument a Priori for proving the Existence of a First Cause. By a Learned Hand.

LAW, Edmund.

Published by Printed by W. Fenner and R. Beresford for W. Thurlbourn, Cambridge, 1734

About this Item

1 blank leaf + half title + TP + [1]-196 + [1]-98 + [99] = publisher's ads + 1 blank leaf, Octavo. First Edition. An 18th Century Speculation on Space and Time - Refuting Samuel ClarkeLaw was a crucial figure in the revival of philosophical inquiry in Cambridge during the twenty years after his graduation in 1723. From a philosophical point of view his main target was Samuel Clarke, already under suspicion since his views on the Trinity were regarded as unorthodox. Further, his supposing that the laws of nature could be deduced a priori could be seen as denigrating the importance, indeed the necessity, of revelation. It was these tendencies…that Law was determined to combat. In this he was encouraged and aided by Daniel Waterland, Master of Magdalene College and a learned and effective defender of religious orthodoxy… A circle of young philosophers grew around Law, under the effective patronage of Waterland, dedicated to attacking Clarke's metaphysical views, which were seen to constitute the paradigm of the a priori argument, and to developing an a posteriori theology and ethics in opposition to Clarke and those he had influenced.The first manifesto of this group was a translation, with massive notes, of William King's De origine mali (1702), published in 1731. This propounded a form of theological utilitarianism not dissimilar to Law's but epistemologically much more conservative… To this was added a prefatory notice 'chiefly written' by John Gay. In Law's heyday there was nobody, except perhaps David Hartley, who showed the ability of either Law or Gay. Both attempted to marry extreme Lockean epistemology to King's utilitarian ethics… Law's device is to add extensive notes to King's original text discussing in great detail the matters that concerned him, of which the most important is the metaphysics of Samuel Clarke, most particularly as this concerned space and time and infinity.Law and Gay argued that Clarke and his followers had fudged the issue quite spectacularly by asserting that though space and time existed they were not substances - by which was meant matter or spirit. They could be conceived as attributes or modes of God, though in what sense was unclear; unclear enough to suppose that space and time were in some (but what?) sense part of God. This was inevitable if one supposed that God had certain attributes (omnipresence, infinity) which could have sensory reference. Law, in contrast, argued that space was not actually anything but an abstract idea created by the mind without any necessary outside reference. To suppose that space was in some way part of the essence of matter, or that the mere distance between two objects was space, was nonsensical. God was indeed everywhere present, as Clarke argued, but in a way that we cannot understand.The same themes are repeated in Law's Enquiry into the Ideas of Space, Time, Immensity, and Eternity (1734), which has a long Appendix by Waterland giving a huge collection of citations against the a priori argument…Although its influence may have waned, there is no doubt that, transmitted through William Paley, the eighteenth-century theological utilitarianism here discussed, once sanitized and secularized, found itself walking through John Stuart Mill's front door, perhaps without his realizing. Law and his circle were equally unaware of the ease with which their naturalistic ethic could be separated from its theological root. Contemporary full paneled calf with lovely design work on both the front and back covers. Leather (but not the board) on front panel is wormed an irregular pattern (1¼" tall) on lower edge of front cover. Spine with five raised bands and burgundy morocco spine label with gilt lettering. Contemporary ink notation on front endpaper including the dates "1736-7". A really beautiful, crisp, clean, bright copy of this rare book. ADDITIONAL PHOTOS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST.

Seller Inventory # 792

Bibliographic Details

• Title: An Enquiry into the Ideas of Space, Time, Immensity, and Eternity; As also the Self-Existence, Necessary Existence, and Unity of the Divine Nature; In Answer to a Book lately Publish'd by Mr. Jackson, entitled, The Existence and Unity of God proved from his Nature and Attributes. To which is added, A Dissertation upon the Argument a Priori for proving the Existence of a First Cause. By a Learned Hand.
• Publisher: Printed by W. Fenner and R. Beresford for W. Thurlbourn, Cambridge
• Publication Date: 1734
• Edition: FIRST EDITION.
• Seller catalogs:
  • Philosophy & Religions