Quote#Science & Reason
'Intuitive' is opposed to 'discursive' reason. In intuition, we…
Quote byWilliam Whewell · 1794–1866
Commonly attributed — not confirmed in an authoritative edition. Cited on Wikiquote to: XXXIX.
English (original)
'Intuitive' is opposed to 'discursive' reason. In intuition, we obtain our conclusions by dwelling upon 'one' aspect of the fundamental Idea; in discursive reasoning, we combine several aspects of the Idea
— William Whewell
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Coexistent polarities are fundamentally identical.
Facts are the materials of science, but all Facts involve Ideas. Since, in observing Facts, we cannot exclude Ideas, we must, for the purposes of science, take care that the Ideas are clear and rigorously applied.
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We perceive by 'means' of a medium and 'by means' of impressions on the nerves: but we do not (by our senses,) perceive either the medium or the impressions on the nerves.
When a series of progressive numbers is given as the result of observation, it may generally be reduced to law by combinations of arithmetical and geometrical progressions. A true formula for a progressive series of numbers cannot commonly …