Biblical Repertory and Princeton Review for the Year 1861, Vol. 33 (Classic Reprint)

Excerpt from Biblical Repertory and Princeton Review for the Year 1861, Vol. 33

Dr. Hickok admits this common and inevitable conviction of consciousness in all mankind. He says, It is the testimony in the convictions of universal consciousness, that we perceive immediately the external objects themselves. Every man is convinced that it is the outer object, and not some representa tive of it, which he perceives. The knowledge that the object is out of myself, and other than myself, and thus a reality, and not subjective merely, is the testimony of common sense every where. A11 minds, that of philosophers as well as of common people, are shut up to the testimony of consciousness for a direct and immediate perception of the outward object. P. 42.

But is this necessary and universal testimony of conscious ness in all men true? N 0: but utterly false, in the estimation of Dr. Hickok. He adds immediately, (p. When the unexamined convictions of consciousness, as direct for the immediate perception of an outer world, are brought to the test of philosophical investigation - the demonstration comes out full, sound, and clear, that all such immediate knowledge is impossible. The very sensation through which the knowledge is given is wholly mental. All that can be directly known is, that the mind has such sensations - but the reason attains the irrefragable conclusion that the sensation only, and not the object as external, can be immediately in the consciousness. A demonstration of reason thus concludes directly against the testimony of universal consciousness. And now where are we as intelligent beings? Consciousness contradicts reason; the reason belies consciousness - they openly and flatly contra dict each other. The nature of man as intelligent, stands out a self-contradiction. All ground for knowledge in any way is self-annihilated. The truth of our intellectual nature is itself falsehood, and there remains nothing other than to doubt universally.

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