Reading Notes: September 4th, 2024

“Thus, a plane surface is a number of straight lines, in contact, in the direction called a plane. It is of greater or less extent, according as these lines are longer or shorter from a central point; it is of one shape or another shape, according as these lines are of the same length, or of different lengths. When they are all of one length, the surface is called a circle. As they may be of different lengths in endless variety, the surface may have an endless variety of shapes, of which only a few have received names. The square is one of these names, the triangle another, the parallelogram another, and so on.” (Mill, Analysis of the Phenomena of the Human Mind, Vol. II, 49)

“Bulk, which is the other great modification of extension, is lines from a central point in every direction. This bulk is greater or less, according as the lines are longer or shorter. The figure or shape of this bulk is different, according as the lines are of the same or different lengths. If they are of the same length, the bulk is called round, or, in one word, a sphere; sphere meaning exactly round bulk. As the lines, when they differ in length, may differ in endless ways; figures, or the shapes of bulk, are also endless, as our senses abundantly testify. Of these but a small number have received names. In this number are the cube, the cylinder, the cone.” (Mill, Analysis of the Phenomena of the Human Mind, Vol. II, 49-50)

“Pressure, as we have already fully seen, is the name we apply, when we have certain sensations in the muscles, just as green is the name we apply when we have a certain sensation in the eye. As green is the name of the sensation in the eye, pressure is the name of the sensation in the muscles.” (Mill, Analysis of the Phenomena of the Human Mind, Vol. II, 50)

“We ascribe qualities to an object on account of our sensations. We call an object green, on account of the sensation green; hard, on account of the sensation hard; sounding, on account of the sensation sounding. The names of all qualities of objects, then, are names of sensations. Are they anything else? Yes; they are the names of our sensations, with the connotation of a supposed unknown cause of those sensations. As far, however, as our knowledge goes, they are names of sensations, and nothing else. The supposed cause is never known; the effects alone are known to us.” (Mill, Analysis of the Phenomena of the Human Mind, Vol. II, 55)