The immortality of the human soul, demonstrated by the light of Nature. In two dialogues / [Walter Charleton].

Charleton, Walter, 1620-1707.

Date:: 1657

Credit: The immortality of the human soul, demonstrated by the light of Nature. In two dialogues / [Walter Charleton]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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$Lucretius. 5 If the Soul furvive the body, and be Cognof- cent or Knowing, after death 5 doubtlefs it rnuft be furnifhed with fenfes, that fofhe may fee, hear, &c. in order to her knowledge: but, when once divorced from her Copartner, the body, fhe neither hath, nor can have Organs for any fuch ufes at all 5 and therefore fhe can have no knowledge. A than aft us. Here again you touch upon that fo often re¬ jected conlufion of Knowledge and Senfation, as if they were one and the fame thing; when from fundry paffages in my precedent difcourfes, you mi^ht haveea(ily collected, that the fenfeafcri- bcd to the Soul, is neither Hearing, nor feeing, nor &c.but the very power of llnderftanding, or IntelleCtion itfclf: which is indeed called many times [aV0M<57;] Senfe, in a general acceptation of the worcbbecaufe Cognition is a Perception,and becaufe it comprehends, in way of Eminency , all the fubordinate lenles, or Faculties of ienla- tion5 i. e. by itfelf it knowes Colours,as the Eye* founds, as the Eare 5 and fo of the reft. And this is the proper prerogative offuperior Faculties, that befides their owne higher and nobler Fun¬ ctions, they comprehend like wife all the Functi¬ ons of Inferiors, and that in a tranfcendcnt and more excellent manner, as I have already ex¬ plained. But, as for the particular manner of the Souls Knowledge, after death j I remit you to Sr* Kenelme ‘Digbtes fublime Speculations con¬ cerning the condition of a feparate Soul \ in which, though perhaps you may not meet with fuch facisfaCtion , as you expeCt: yet you will meet$