676. [A conversation] with a certain famous philosopher about certain matters in Philosophy
A philosopher who had died several years earlier spoke with me, for whom I clarified how certain philosophical terms should be understood.
In regard to "forms," I told what they are like, one within the other, and that a more inward one cannot be entered upon except by a dissolution, or death, so to speak, of the outward one, so there is an ascending from one level to another. Nature everywhere has such levels; so there are likewise degrees of the body's life, and of its vital organs, etc.
Then I said that there is nothing which does not consist of varieties of its form, and that the more inward forms can vary immeasurably more than outward forms; and that there are many varieties among the different changes of condition.
In the purer regions, I said, forms of force and forms of substance signal mental imagery; as well as other similar points.
Because he was in the other life, where they are more receptive to understanding matters of this kind, he affirmed them point by point, vowing that the world would do better to acknowledge such things than to get stuck in terms and argumentation about words, which entirely distract the mind from an understanding of the actual realities - as when a speaker dwells on words rather than the sense of the words. In this way people are plunged into trivia, out of which they cannot be raised up; besides other points as well. 1748, 7 February.
676. [A CONVERSATION] WITH A CERTAIN FAMOUS PHILOSOPHER CONCERNING CERTAIN MATTERS OF PHILOSOPHY
A certain philosopher who died a few years ago spoke with me. I disclosed to him what is to be understood respecting certain things in philosophical subjects: as concerning forms, of what quality they are, one within the other; and that one cannot enter into that which is more interior, except by the dissolution, or as it were the death, of the exterior; thus there is an ascent from one degree to another; also that nature has such degrees everywhere, so there are degrees of the life of the body and of the organs of life, and many things. Further, that there is not anything that does not consist of variations of form, and that the more interior forms can be varied indefinitely more than the exterior forms, and that there are many variations in the various changes of state. I also disclosed that the forms of the forces and the forms of the substances in the purer [degrees] signify ideas, besides other similar things. Because that philosopher was in the other life, where they are more susceptible of understanding such things, he confirmed each single thing, and vowed that the world should be willing to acknowledge such things rather than stick in terms and disputation about words, for these withdraw the mind entirely from the understanding of these things, as when a person speaking sticks in the words, not in the sense of the words; thereby men are cast down into the dust, so that they cannot be raised up out of it. There were still other things [which we discussed]. 1748, Feb. 7.
676. Cum quodam philosopho famigerato, de quibusdam in Philosophia
Quidam Philosophus ante annos aliquot mortuus mecum loquutus est, cui aperui, quid intelligendum sit de quibusdam in philosophicis-sicut 1
de formis, quales sunt, una intra aliam, et quod ad intimiorem intrari nequeat nisi per dissolutionem quasi mortem exterioris, sic ab uno gradu in alterum transcenditur, et quod natura ubivis tales gradus habeat, sic etiam vitae corporis, et organorum 2
vitae, ex plura; tum quod nihil non consistat in variationibus formae, et quod formae intimiores indefinitius variari possint prae formis exterioribus, et quod variationes plures sint in status mutationibus variis, tum quod formae virium et formae substantiarum in purioribus ideas significent, praeter alia similia - qui 3
quia in altera vita erat, ubi susceptibiliores sunt intelligendi similia, is confirmavit singula, et vovit, quod mundus talia agnoscere potius velint 4
, quam haerere in terminis et vocum lite, quae distrahunt mentem prorsus ab intellectu rerum, sicut dum loquens inhaeret verbis, non sensui verborum, inde praecipitantur homines in pulverem, ut elevari nequeant, praeter adhuc alia. 1748, 7 Febr.
Footnotes:
1. The Manuscript has philosophicis, sicut
2. sic in J.F.I. Tafel's edition: "nisi legeris organa"
3. The Manuscript has similia, qui
4. sic manuscript; vide praefationem hujus editionis sub capite "Idiosyncrasies"