The Commens Dictionary

Quote from ‘How to Make Our Ideas Clear’

Quote: 

… the action of thought is excited by the irritation of doubt, and ceases when belief is attained; so that the production of belief is the sole function of thought. All these words, however, are too strong for my purpose. It is as if I had described the phenomena as they appear under a mental microscope. Doubt and Belief, as the words are commonly employed, relate to religious or other grave discussions. But here I use them to designate the starting of any question, no matter how small or how great, and the resolution of it.

Date: 
1878
References: 
CP 5.394
Citation: 
‘Belief’ (pub. 20.03.13-19:32). Quote in M. Bergman & S. Paavola (Eds.), The Commens Dictionary: Peirce's Terms in His Own Words. New Edition. Retrieved from http://www.commens.org/dictionary/entry/quote-how-make-our-ideas-clear-3.
Posted: 
Mar 20, 2013, 19:32 by Sami Paavola
Last revised: 
Jan 07, 2014, 00:58 by Commens Admin