An Introduction to the Study of Moral Evidence: Or, of that Species of Reasoning which Relates to Matters of Fact and Practice : with an Appendix, on Debating for Victory, and Not for Truth |
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admit affirm afford applied arguments arise ascer ascertain attended bability believed capable cation circum circumstances conclusions conduct confirmed connexion considered correct credibility deceive decide decision deduced degree of assent demonstration dence depends detection determine direct disputant doctrine of chances Egypt Encyclopędia Britannica error established Euclid's Elements examination exist experience false falsehood favour frequently greater ground happen Hence ideas importance inconstant moon influence injurious instance interest jects judge judgment kind of evidence kind of moral knowledge known Malta mankind mind mixed mathematics moral certainty moral evidence nature necessary neral nexion notoriety object opinions ourselves particular personal observation portunity possess practice presume presumption principles probability proof proposed proposition proved question quiring racters reason recollect regard regulated relates rience rule safely scarcely shews side species of evidence stances subjects sufficient tained testimony things tion treaty of Amiens true truth uniform veracity witness
Popular passages
Page 96 - Caesar, or of any other man. For suppose a number of common facts so and so circumstanced, of which one had no kind of proof, should happen to come into one's thoughts; every one would, without any possible doubt, conclude them to be false. And the like may be said of a single common fact.
Page 95 - There is a very strong presumption against common speculative truths, and against the most ordinary facts, before the proof of them; which yet is overcome by almost any proof. There is a presumption of millions to one, against the story of Caesar, or of any other man.
Page 180 - Among the calamities of war may be justly numbered the diminution of the love of truth, by the falsehoods which interest dictates, and credulity encourages.
Page 111 - If any of these books were disputed at first, but on examination were admitted, they are confirmed by their trial.
Page iii - ... moral evidence may produce a variety of degrees of assent, from suspicion to moral certainty. For, here, the degree of assent depends upon the degree in which the evidence on one side preponderates, or exceeds that on the other. And, as this preponderancy may vary almost infinitely, so likewise may the degrees of assent. For a few of these degrees, though but for a few, names have been invented.
Page ix - For, it is frequently the only light afforded us to form our opinions of facts and to regulate our conduct with respect to them. Without attending to it, we can neither act, nor cease to act. We cannot even subsist without acting upon it; since it cannot be demonstrated that our food will not poison, instead of nourishing us. Instead, therefore, of contemning it on account of its inferiority, it becomes us to improve to the utmost, the light which it affords, by qualifying ourselves to apply it as...
Page 128 - ... 2. Never to convict any person of murder or manslaughter, till at least the body be found dead; on account of two instances he mentions, where persons were executed for the murder of others, who were then alive, but missing.
Page 128 - Never to convict a man for stealing the goods of a person unknown, merely because he will give no account how he came by them, unless an actual felony be proved of such goods; and, 2. Never to convict any person of murder or manslaughter till at least the body be found dead ; on account of two instances he mentions where persons were executed for the murder of others who were then alive but missing.
Page 127 - In our criminal jurisprudence there is a maxim, deservedly eulogised, that it is better that ten guilty persons should escape, than that one innocent man should suffer...