[Inquiry] Re: Grounds And Respects

[Jon Awbrey]

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GAR.  Note 10

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| Section 2.  Innateness of Notions (concl.)
|
| The nature of the thought-of as an element of thought is Truth,
| which we considered in Section 1.  The second element, to be
| considered now, is Innateness.  The third element is Externality,
| the subject of Section 3.  The possible fourth element will be
| considered in the conclusion to this Chapter, for the present we
| must suppose this not to exist.  The effect of supposing unknown
| influences not to exist is to give an account of how things would
| be supposing them not to exist.  If this accords with fact, it is
| clear those influences do not exist;  but if it does not, it is
| only necessary to determine what modification it requires in order
| to accord with fact, in order to find what these influences effect.
| Our conclusion will therefore be a synthesis of the elements of our
| analysis.
|
| The Innate Element is distinct from the others;  from this we infer
|
|    1st  That it has no 'Truth' nor Falsehood.  Any predicate, however,
|         which can be predicated is either true or false, unless it
|         may always be predicated.  Hence the Innate Element may
|         be predicated of anything without altering the fact.
| 
|    2nd  That the Innate Element has no externality but is entirely
|         subjective.  It is not even thought of as external.
|
| If now we wished to make a determinating analysis of Innateness, since it is
| the constitution of the mind as an element of thought, we should consider what
| the Constitution of the Mind is so far as it thinks 'of' anything.  The prime
| element in it is clearly its receptivity.  Receptivity enters into of-thought
| as mere sensation.  Sensation has neither truth nor falsehood for whether it
| be predicated or not doesn't alter the fact.  It is not even thought of as
| external.  Sensation then is the first category of Innateness.
|
| This analysis, however, is not necessary now.
| It suffices to consider that in each element of
| motion of the mind, a faculty is exerted in the
| only manner in which it is constructed to act.
|
| In this action of the faculty, therefore,
| the constitution of the mind is manifested.
|
| Each element of thought is a motion of the mind.
|
| .:  In each element of thought it is Innate.
|
| It is innate in its possibility.
|
| It is true in its actuality.
|
| C.S. Peirce, 'Chronological Edition', CE 1, 81-82
|
| C.S. Peirce, ["A Treatise on Metaphysics"], MS 70 (1861-1862), pp. 57-84 in:
|'Writings of Charles S. Peirce:  A Chronological Edition, Vol. 1, 1857-1866',
| Peirce Edition Project, Indiana University Press, Bloomington, IN, 1982.

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