Rational Psychology

PREFACE

[empi]rical psychology has been separated original: "separata fuerit." Wolff is explaining that even though he treats empirical psychology (based on observation) and rational psychology (based on reason) as distinct, they still support one another., so that the principles which we use especially in Ethics Ethics: Latin "Moralibus," referring to the philosophical study of right and wrong conduct might not seem to depend on mere hypotheses; nevertheless, I have not felt bound by any scruple against occasionally interspersing certain dogmatic points, since it can be seen from the citations which ones are free from every hypothesis. Indeed, the very nature of Psychology demanded that certain dogmas be handed down by design—such as those concerning the spirituality and immortality of the soul and concerning the spirit in general—with which psychological hypotheses have absolutely no business.

Our psychological theory contains some things that seem like paradoxes paradox: in 18th-century philosophy, this refers to a statement that seems contradictory or absurd but may actually be true to many; but what seems paradoxical is not for that reason far from the truth. Truly, those things which can seem most paradoxical regarding our perceptions will be of great use in more correctly conceiving the divine attributes in Natural Theology Natural Theology: the branch of philosophy that seeks to prove God's existence and attributes through reason and nature rather than revelation; I do not see what greater utility could be imagined. Moreover, this very theory of our perceptions sheds much light on General Physics and on certain principles of General Cosmology, which can hardly be understood deeply without it. The same also promises a singular use for philoso[phy]—