Encyclopedia of sacred theology - pagina 232

208

§ 53.

The

THE FIVE FACULTIES

[Div. II

faculty of Natural Philosophy can be considered

There

briefly.

is

more

only one difference of opinion about the

This arises from the fact that sciences were formerly classed with Philosophy, while at present the tendency is stronger to class them with the physical sciences as the sciobject of physical science.

the mathematical and arithmetical

ences of the relations of physical

data.

Those Avho liold them in the

these relations to be unreal, or at least explain

main

as mhjective^ are obliged, for the sake of logical conse-

quence, to prefer the custom of the old philosophy, and group these departments with the psychical studies.

Since, howbecome more universal that science in general and therefore each particular science, must seek its strength in the knowledge of the relations even more than in the knowledge of the elements among which these relations ever, the impression has

exist, it is

not probable that with reference to the disposiand Arithmetic the subjective tendency

tion of Mathematics

will again gain the day.

consciousness the most tion of

is

It is entirely true that

adjusted to measure and to

industrious effort

our liuman

number

;

else

would never bring us the concep-

geometry or arithmetic.

It is also entirely true that

the laws which dominate the combination of measures and

numbers,

must else

or, if

you

please, the Logica of

find a point of connection in our

we should never be

able to

consciousness

;

propound or solve an abstract

problem in mathematics or arithmetic. not take away the fact that

measure and number,

human

it is

This, however, does

the cosmos outside of us

brings measure and number to our consciousness. ground there seems to be no objection to classing Mathematics, Algebra, and Arithmetic as three formal departments under the physical sciences. For the material departthat

On

first

this

ments, however, the principium of division here too lies in This object ascends from the the object of physical science.

elements of nature to the cosmos, and in this ascent it follows the scale of the so-called natural kingdoms of our earth, and of that which has been observed in the cosmos physically Hence those departments come first, outside of our earth. which investigate the elements (matter as well as force), and

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