A collection of several philosophical writings

Nature is such that it is impossible for anyone not to admit that spirits are the proper subjects of sympathy and perception. Therefore, to conclude that something occurs by "sympathy"—when we can demonstrate that it is not caused by mere mechanical powers—is not to take shelter in the common refuge of ignorance. Rather, it is to identify the direct and immediate cause of a phenomenon, which is to practice philosophy at its highest level.

Briefly, therefore, to conclude: I have demonstrated with evidence no less than mathematical that there are substances which are incorporeal (non-physical), and that all substance is in some sense "extensional" (occupying space), because there is no substance but that which is, or at least may be, essentially present to matter. It necessarily follows from this that incorporeal substance is in some way extended. Consequently, a soul or spirit is capable of no other unity or oneness except that which consists in indiscerpibility indiscerpibility: the quality of being impossible to divide or pull apart into separate pieces and in the vital shared activity and sympathy of its parts. Therefore, finally, resolving the phenomena we experience in ourselves, or observe in other things, which exceed the mere mechanical laws of matter, into this vital oneness—which consists in the shared activity and sympathy of parts—is no empty repetition or merely saying a thing is so because it is so. Rather, it is a distinct indication of its proper and immediate cause. All these things, when laid together and seriously considered, will easily prevent whatever objections anyone might otherwise imagine against the extension of a spirit.

The properties and roles of the Spirit of Nature further clarified and confirmed.

13. The second dissatisfaction concerns the Spirit of Nature, in that I have not allowed it the power of perception. I think I have demonstrated so clearly that nothing in philosophy can be more evident that there is a Spirit of Nature—that is to say, an incorporeal substance that involves itself in bringing about certain more general phenomena in the world. Nor can a man doubt that it is a universal principle, if he considers the nature of God and the divine fruitfulness, and the usefulness of this spirit wherever there is matter manageable for some helpful end for the good of the whole creation. Besides this, there are the testimonies of its omnipresence (if I may use that word), as it performs the same tasks at vast distances. For example: it pulls a stone down toward the center of the Earth just as well when the Earth is in the constellation Aries as when it is in Libra; it keeps the waters from flying off the Moon; it forces the matter of the Sun into a round shape (which would otherwise be elongated); it restrains the solid parts of a star from flying into pieces into the surrounding ether; it carries along those large regions of loose particles of the "third element" In Cartesian physics, the "third element" refers to the densest particles that form planets and comets, along with the comets, in their travels from vortex vortex: a "whirlpool" of cosmic matter that carries celestial bodies around a sun or planet to vortex; and everywhere it directs magnetic atoms on their right road; in addition to all the formative original: "Plastick," referring to the power of a spirit to give shape and life to matter services it performs in both plants and animals.

This Spirit, therefore, being a mute copy of the Eternal Word (that is, of that Divine Wisdom that is entirely everywhere), is in every part naturally appointed to do all the best services that matter is capable of, according to how that matter is modified, and according to that blueprint of which it is the copy—I mean according to the comprehension and purpose of those Ideas of things which are in the eternal intellect of God. From this it is plain that there is no need for any other "seed-like forms" original Greek: λόγοι σπερματικοὶ (logoi spermatikoi), the Stoic concept of formative principles or "seminal reasons" that direct the growth of things or seminal forms than this single one, which virtually contains everything everywhere, and is therefore rightly styled The Universal Spirit of Nature. It is also plain that this Spirit does not need to be per—