This is the first modern edition of an important work by a previously neglected early 19th century woman philosopher, Mary Shepherd. Shepherd develops a distinctive philosophical system that can be seen as a competitor to Kant's Transcendental Idealism. The edition is aimed at researchers in early modern philosophy and is also intended to be used in graduate and undergraduate courses. It contains a concise introduction as guide for the reader.

• Acknowledgments


• Short Titles


• Note on the Text


• Introduction


• Essays on the Perception of an External Universe and Other Subjects connected with the Doctrine of Causation


• Part I-Essay on the Academical or Sceptical Philosophy


• Preface


• Introductory Chapter


• Chapter I. On Continuous Existence


• Chapter II. On External Existence


• Chapter III. On Independent Existence


• Chapter IV. Objection Arising to the Foregoing Doctrines from the Phenomena of Dreams, Further Considered and Answered


• Chapter V. On the Nature of Objects when Acting as Causes


• Chapter VI. On the Use of the word Idea in this Treatise, and cursory observations on its nature and proper use in general, andc.


• Chapter VII. Application of the Doctrine contained in the preceding Essay to the evidence of our belief in several Opinions


• Chapter VIII. Recapitulation


• Part II-Short Essays on Several Subjects


• Essay I-Consideration of the erroneous reasoning contained in Bishop Berkeley's Principles of Human Knowledge


• Essay II-Upon the nature of the five organs of sense, and their manner of action with regard to external perception-against Bishop Berkeley


• Essay III-That the external Causes which determine the various perceptions of sense, are not the immediate actions of Deity-against Bishop Berkeley


• Essay IV-Upon Mr. Dugald Stewart's, and Dr. Reid's Philosophy, as it regards the union of colour with extension; and the perception of the external primary Qualities of matter-against Mr. D. Stewart


• Essay V-That mathematical demonstration and physical induction are founded upon similar principles of evidence-against Mr. Dugald Stewart


• Essay VI-That sensible qualities cannot be causes-against Mr. Hume


• Essay VII-That children can perceive the relation of cause and effect, on account of their being capable of a latent comparison of ideas-against Mr. Hume


• Essay VIII-That human testimony is of sufficient force to establish the credibility of miracles-against Mr. Hume


• Essay IX-On the objection to final causes as ends on account of the efficiency of means-Lord Bacon's ideas concerning a final cause noticed


• Essay X-On the Eternity of Mind


• Essay XI-On the Immateriality of Mind


• Essay XII-On the use of organization in animal existence, especially as it relates to the existence and operation of mental qualities


• Essay XIII-On the association of ideas, and the interaction of mind and body


• Essay XIV-The reason why we see objects single instead of double, and erect instead of inverted-against Dr. Reid


• "Lady Mary Shepherd's Metaphysics"




• References

Antonia LoLordo is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Virginia. She is the author of Locke's Moral Man (OUP, 2012) and Pierre Gassendi and the Birth of Early Modern Philosophy (Cambridge University Press, 2007), as well as numerous papers. She is also the editor of Persons (OUP, 2019) and co-editor of Debates in Early Modern Philosophy with Stewart Duncan (Routledge, 2013).