JB/104/461/001

Click Here To Edit

1818 Apr. 19
To Erskine

Lett. 5. Whig Fallacies
III. No theory!

2

Theory, you may use: practical principles never.

If in the case in question no other theory more particular
were to be formed than implied and argued from, there
would at any rate be always this, namely that no reasoning
to which the name of theory can be applied ought to be
regarded regarded or made to receive any other answer
than that it is a theory.

Prodigious is the self-satisfaction, the self-complacency
manifested by the self-stiled practical man by this single word, when the confutation
of the reasoning man with his reasoning is effected: delightful
erect the car attitude of triumph: delightful the kindred congenial sentiment
diffused by social sympathy over the whole associated circle

Prodigious the mass of advantage which adheres to it
It not only saves words: it saves thought: it saves the time and
labour that would have been necessary for thinking It may be
employed not only by any body person but by any thing that can
speak, by any parrot for example, or by the speaking child
which the Hungarian Kempel, creator maker of the automaton
chess-player made.

What must as above be confessed is — that the thing
which is not is involved in it. For it is implied
that he by whom the sound no theory is uttered, does not
himself place his faith in theory: which as already observed
is never the case.

Being interpreted and paraphrased what it means is — No theory
which is at once apposite and reasonable: always observed
that in the opposite side any theory be it ever so inapposite,
ever so absurd, ever so notoriously contradicted by notorious
fact
facts, may be argued
from and acted upon.

Identifier: | JB/104/461/001 "JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 104.
Date_1	1819-04-19	Marginal Summary Numbering
Box	104	Main Headings	fallacies
Folio number	461	Info in main headings field	to erskine
Image	001	Titles
Category	text sheet	Number of Pages	1
Recto/Verso	recto	Page Numbering	e2
Penner	jeremy bentham	Watermarks	[[watermarks::i&m [with prince of wales feathers above] 1818]]
Marginals		Paper Producer	arthur wellesley, duke of wellington
Corrections		Paper Produced in Year	1818
Notes public		ID Number	34432
Box Contents