Page:Ferrier's Works Volume 1 - Institutes of Metaphysic (1875 ed.).djvu/346

318PROP. XIII.———— that this is what each of us (supposing that there is more than one of us) can do. It is, moreover, to be borne particularly in mind, that the other egos or subjects which are conceived by us, are always conceived as the universal part of all their cognitions, just as one's own me is always known and conceived as the universal part of one's own cognitions. Each of us having the type or pattern, can construct the conception ad libitum.

9. One word on the subject of Belief. Belief is the determination of the mind to accept as actual fact, or as actual existence, on grounds of probable evidence, whatever the compulsory reason has declared to be possible—that is, has shown to be non-contradictory. But, according to psychology, and more especially according to our Scottish philosophy of common sense, belief is the determination of the mind to accept as actual fact, or as actual existence, on the evidence of ordinary thinking, that which the compulsory reason has proved to be impossible and contradictory.

10. Another difficulty has been started. Proposition I. affirms that, along with whatever a man is cognisant of, he must be cognisant of himself. In thinking, therefore, of the independent universe as a synthesis of objects plus another subject, must he not take himself into account as well, and must not