Adventures in Philosophy CLASSICAL ESSAY Select a Category... Ancient Philosophy Medieval Philosophy Modern Philosophy Recent Philosophy American Philosophy Islamic Philosophy Jewish Philosophy Political Philosophy Eastern Philosophy Introduction & Directory
Academy Resources Glossary of Philosophical Terms Timeline of Philosophy A Timeline of American Philosophy Diagram: Development of Philosophic Thought Diagram: Divisions of Philosophy The Philosophy Resource Center The Religion Resource Center Books about Philosophy in The Radical Academy Bookstore Books about Religion in The Radical Academy Bookstore Click Here for New & Used College Textbooks at Discount Prices Click Here for College Education Information & Study Resources Shop Amazon Stores in the Radical Academy Bookstore Magazine Outlet Music Store Classical Music Store Video Store DVD Store Computer Store Camera & Photo Store Computer/Video Games Software Store Musical Instruments Outlet Store Cellular Phones Toys & Games Tools & Hardware Automotive Store Outdoor Living Consumer Electronics Home & Garden Kitchen & Housewares Baby Superstore Apparel & Accessories Gourmet Food Grocery Store Sporting Goods Jewelry & Watches Health & Personal Care Beauty Store		Understanding and Experience by John Duns Scotus   When the evidence or the certitude of first principles has been had, it is evident how certitude may be had of conclusions inferred from them, because of the evidence of the perfect forms of the syllogism, since the certitude of the conclusions depends only on the certitude of the principles and inference. But will not the understanding err in this knowledge of principles and conclusions, if the senses are deceived concerning all the terms? I reply that, with respect to the knowledge, the understanding does not have the senses for cause, but only for occasion, for the understanding cannot have knowledge of simples unless it has received that knowledge from the senses: still, having received it, it can compound simples with each other by its own power; and if, from the relation of such simples, there is a combination which is evidently true, the understanding will assent to that combination by its own power and by the power of the terms, not by the power of the senses by which it receives the terms from without... Concerning things known by experience, I say that although experience is not had of all singulars, but of a large number, and that although it is not always had but in a great many cases, still one who knows by experience knows infallibly that it is thus, and that it is always thus, and that it is thus in all, and he knows that by the following proposition reposing in the soul: whatever occurs as in a great many things from some cause which is not free, is the natural effect of that cause, which proposition is known to the understanding, even though it has accepted the terms of it from erring senses; for a cause which is not free cannot produce as in a great many things an effect to the opposite of which it is ordered, or to which it is not ordered by its form; but a casual cause is ordered to the producing of the opposite of the casual effect or to not producing it: therefore nothing is the casual cause in respect to an effect produced frequently by it, and if it is not free, it is a natural cause. That, however, this effect occurs by such a cause producing as in a great many cases, this must be learned by experience. Here is Your Guide to Medieval Philosophy   The Cambridge Companion to Medieval Philosophy, by A. S. McGrade The Cambridge Companion to Duns Scotus, by Thomas Williams Enrich Your Life With a Philosophy Book... Enrich Your Life With a Philosophy Magazine... Academy Showcase Specials     Introduction & Directory
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