G. W. F. Hegel: Lectures on the History of Philosophy
Table of Contents

1. THOMAS REID.

Thomas Reid, born in 1710, died as a professor in Glasgow in 1796.⁽¹⁾ He maintained the principle of common-sense. His endeavour was to discover the principles of knowledge, and the following are his conclusions: "(a) There are certain undemonstrated and undemonstrable fundamental truths which common-sense begets and recognizes as immediately conclusive and absolute." This hence constitutes an immediate knowledge; in it an inward independent source is set forth which is hereby opposed to religion as revealed. "(b) These immediate truths require no support from any elaborated science, nor do they submit to its criticism;" they cannot be criticized by philosophy. "(c) Philosophy itself has no root other than that of an immediate, self-enlightening truth; whatever contradicts such truth is in itself false, contradictory, and absurd." This is true for knowledge and "(d) Morality; the individual is moral if he acts in accordance with the perfect principles of the perfection of the whole and with his own duty as it is known to him."⁽²⁾

1. Tennemann's Grundriss der Geschichte der Philosophie von Wendt, § 371, p. 442.

2. Rixner: Handbuch der Geschicte der Philosophie, Vol. III. § 119, p. 259; ct. Thomas Reid; An Inquiry into the human mind on the principles of common sense (Edinburgh, 1810), chap. i. Sect. 4, pp. 19, 20 (translated into German, Leipzig, 1782, pp. 17, 18); chap. vi. Sect. 20, pp. 372-375 (pp. 310, 311), &c.