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Thomas Reid
45quotes
Thomas Reid: Scottish Philosopher and Epistemologist
Full Name and Common Aliases
Thomas Reid was born on April 7, 1710, in Strachur, Argyllshire, Scotland. He is also known as "The Father of Common Sense Philosophy" due to his influential contributions to the field.
Birth and Death Dates
Reid's life spanned over six decades, from 1710 until his death on October 7, 1796.
Nationality and Profession(s)
Thomas Reid was a Scottish philosopher and epistemologist who spent most of his career teaching at Marischal College in Aberdeen. He is considered one of the most important philosophers of the 18th century.
Early Life and Background
Reid's early life was marked by a strong interest in philosophy, which was encouraged by his parents. He attended the University of Glasgow at a young age and later went on to study law at Marischal College. However, it was during this time that he became fascinated with the works of René Descartes and John Locke, leading him to pursue a career in philosophy.
Major Accomplishments
Thomas Reid is best known for his development of Common Sense Philosophy, which emphasizes the importance of human intuition and common sense in understanding the world. He also made significant contributions to the fields of epistemology and metaphysics. Reid's most notable work, "An Inquiry into the Human Mind," presents a comprehensive account of his philosophical views.
Notable Works or Actions
Reid was an active participant in the Scottish Enlightenment, which sought to promote intellectual and cultural progress through education. His writings on metaphysics, epistemology, and ethics were widely read and respected during his lifetime. Some of his notable works include:
"Essays on the Active Powers of Man" (1788)
"Essays on the Intellectual Powers of Man" (1785)
* "An Inquiry into the Human Mind" (1764)
Impact and Legacy
Thomas Reid's ideas had a profound impact on Western philosophy, influencing thinkers such as Immanuel Kant, John Stuart Mill, and G.E. Moore. His emphasis on common sense and human intuition continues to be relevant in contemporary debates about epistemology and metaphysics.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Thomas Reid is widely quoted and remembered due to his groundbreaking contributions to the field of philosophy. His development of Common Sense Philosophy has had a lasting impact on Western thought, and his writings continue to inspire new generations of philosophers, scholars, and thinkers. As a leading figure in the Scottish Enlightenment, Reid's legacy extends beyond academia, influencing cultural and intellectual developments throughout history.
Reid's remarkable life and work serve as a testament to his enduring influence on human understanding. His commitment to exploring the nature of reality, knowledge, and human experience has left an indelible mark on philosophy, shaping the course of intellectual inquiry for centuries to come.
Quotes by Thomas Reid
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If there are certain principles, as I think there are, which the’ constitution of our nature leads us to believe, and which we are under a necessity to take for granted in the common concerns of life,′ without being able to give a reason for them; these are what we call the principles of common sense; and what is manifestly contrary to them, is what we call absurd.
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For the perception of the beautiful we have the term “taste” – a metaphor taken from that which is passive in the body and transferred to that which is active in the mind.
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I confess I know not what a sceptic can answer to this, nor by what good argument he can plead even for a hearing; for either his reasoning is sophistry, and so deserves contempt; or there is no truth in the human faculties, and then why should we reason?
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Every theory in philosophy, which is built on pure conjecture, is an elephant; and every theory that is supported partly by fact, and partly by conjecture, is like Nebuchadnezzar’s image, whose feet were partly of iron, and partly of clay.
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Let scholastic sophisters entangle themselves in their own cobwebs; I am resolved to take my own existence, and the existence of other things, upon trust; and to believe that snow is cold, and honey sweet, whatever they may say to the contrary. He must either be a fool, or want to make a fool of me, that would reason me out of my reason and senses.
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Every theory in philosophy, which is built on pure conjecture, is an elephant; and every theory that is supported partly by fact, and partly by conjecture, is like Nebuchadnezzar's image, whose feet were partly of iron, and partly of clay.
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must acknowledge, that to act properly is much more valuable than to think justly or reason acutely.
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The want of faith, as well as faith itself, is best shewn by works. If a sceptic avoid the fire as much as those who believe it dangerous to go into it, we can hardly avoid thinking his scepticism to be feigned, and not real.
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The wisdom of God exceeds that of the wisest man, more than his wisdom exceeds that of a child. If a child were to conjecture how an army is to be formed in the day of battle--how a city is to be fortified, or a state governed--what chance has he to guess right? As little chance has the wisest man when he pretends to conjecture how the planets move in their courses, how the sea ebbs and flows, and how our minds act upon our bodies.
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