Siris - Softcover

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1744 edition. Excerpt: ... Are moved towards the particles of fait, and joined with them. And when we behold vulgar fait not to flow per deliquium, may we not conclude that the fame Jaw of nature and motion doth not obtain between it's particles and those of the floating vapours? A drop of water assumes a round figure, because it's parts are moved towards each other. But the particles of oil and vinegar have no such disposition to unite. And when flies walk in watfir. without wetting their feet, it is attributed to a repelling force or faculty in the fly's feet. But this is obscure, though the phænomenon be plain. u 1.K. 236. It is not improbable, and seems not unsupported by experiments, that, as in algebra, where positive quantities cease there negative begin, even so in mechanics, where attracting forces cease there repelling forces beginor (to express it more properly) where bodies cease to be moved towards, they begin to be moved from each other. This Sir Isaac Newton infers from the production of air and vapours, whose particles fly asunder with such vehement force. We behold iron move towards the loadstone, straws towards amber, heavy bodies towards the earth. The laws of these motions afe various. And when it is faid, that all the motions and changes in the great world arise from-attraction; the elasticity of the air, the motion of water, the descent of heavy, and-the ascent of light bodies,. being all ascribed to the fame principle; when from insensible attractions of most minute particles at the smallest distance, are derived cohesion, dissolution; coagulation, animal secretion, fermentation,'anda 11 chemical operations; and when it is said, that without such principles there never would have been any-motion in the world, and without the continuance...

George Berkeley (1685-1753) was one of the three great British empiricist philosophers; his best known works include An Essay towards a New Theory of Vision and A Treatise Concerning the Principles of Human Knowledge.