866. Philosophical studies so limit the human mind that in the end, they can see nothing [see 609, Philosophical studies have, since their first centuries for about a thousand years now, consisted only in terminology syllogism. And because what [philosophers] avidly dwell upon are only terms, such as what "form" is, what "accidents" are, what "modes," so forth, it cannot but turn out that their mind is bounded only by ideas without any life, because without light. For they do not connect them rational elements those they do so connect are nevertheless mere terms. In arguing for these terms, they are like one who is learning the words of a language, not for the sake of expressing the meaning of a thing, but only for the sake of talking. Thus they so confine restrict universal elements of the mind into that which has no life, or which is only material so doing, form such a dark callus, that no light can pass through. It is similar also with syllogistic philosophy. It so encloses the ideas of the mind, that there is hardly a crack for the light [to enter]. Wise people of this kind are consequently much more blind, even more stupid, in spiritual heavenly matters, than the least person in the crowd, or than farmers. 1748, 18 February.
866. THAT PHILOSOPHICAL MATTERS SO LIMIT THE HUMAN MIND THAT AT LENGTH IT CAN SEE NOTHING WHATEVER
From their first ages, now some thousands of years ago, philosophical matters have consisted solely in terms and syllogisms; and because philosophers yearn after terms alone - as what "form" is, what "accidents", what modes", etc.-nothing else can result than that the mind is terminated in mere ideas without any life, because without light. In this way they excite the universal things of the mind, and concentrate them upon that in which there is no life, and so they are only in material things. Consequently, they form a callus so dense that no light can pass through. For they do not make application to rational things, and those which they do apply are still mere terms; and if they dispute from these, they are like one who learns the words of a language, not for the sake of expressing any meaning by them, but only for the sake of talking. 1It is the same also with syllogistic philosophy which so limits the mind's ideas that there is scarcely any opening for the light. Therefore men, wise in such ways, are much more blind, yea, more stupid in spiritual and celestial things, than the least wise among the crowd, or than rustics. 1748, Feb. 18.
Footnotes:
1. In the manuscript the sentence, "For they do not ... sake of talking," is written between the lines over the passage, "In this way they excite ... can pass through." In the Latin Edition these statements are printed in a different order.
866. Quod philosophica mentem humanam ita finiant, ut nihil tandem videre queant [vide 609, 767]
Philosophica 1
, usque a primis suis saeculis, nunc aliquot mille annis solum in terminis et syllogismo constiterunt, et quia sunt modo termini, quibus inhiant, sicut quid forma, quid accidentia, quid modi, ac similia, nunquam aliter fieri potest, quam [quod] 2
terminetur mens in ideis solum absque ulla vita, quia absque luce, nam ad rationalia non applicant, et quae applicant sunt usque meri termini, ex quibus si disputant, sunt quasi qui linguae voces discit, nec propter sensum rei exprimendum, sed modo propter loquelam 3
, sic universalia mentis coarctant ita et contrahunt in id cui nihil vitae inest, sic in modo materialibus, proinde formant callum ita tenebrosum, ut lux nulla transire possit, similiter etiam syllogistica philosophia, quae ita finit mentium ideas, ut paene nullum foramen sit pro luce, quare sapientes tales sunt multo coeciores imo stupidiores in spiritualibus et coelestibus, quam minimus inter turbam, seu colonos. 1748, 18 Febr.
Footnotes:
1. This is how it appears in J.F.I. Tafel's edition; the Manuscript has Philosophia
2. in J.F.I. Tafel's edition quin
3. In the Manuscript nam...loquelam interlinealiter supra sic universalia....tenebrosum post scriptum est