On the Improvement of the Understanding

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In this case we do not understand anything of the cause from the consideration of it in the effect. This is sufficiently evident from the fact that the cause is only spoken of in very general terms, such as --- there exists then something; there exists then some power, &c.; or from the fact that we only express it in a negative manner --- it is not this or that, &c. In the second case something is ascribed to the cause because of the effect, as we shall show in an example, but only a property, never an essence. [B.S.]