Single Idea 18463

[catalogued under 16. Persons / C. Self-Awareness / 2. Knowing the Self]

Full Idea

He who by thought can penetrate within his own substance, and can thus acquire knowledge of it, finds himself in this actualisation of knowledge and consciousness, where the substrate that knows is identical with the object that is known.

Gist of Idea

Successful introspection reveals the substrate along with the object of thought

Source

Porphyry (Launching Points to the Realm of the Mind [c.280], 6Enn5 44)

Book Reference

Porphyry: 'Launching Points to the Realm of the Mind', ed/tr. Guthrie,Kenneth [Phanes 1988], p.68


A Reaction

It seems remarkably that this ability is confidently asserted by Porphyry, and flatly denied by Hume. Were they just different people, or were they looking for different things, or was one of them deluded?

Related Idea

Idea 1316 Introspection always discovers perceptions, and never a Self without perceptions [Hume]