Note 4 — II. (continued 2)

“The great argument that men are determined by the strongest motives, is a mere equivocation, and what logicians call petitio principii. It is impossible even to produce any medium of proof that it is the strongest motive, except that it has prevailed. It is not the greatest in itself; nor does it seem to be in all respects the strongest to the agent; but you say it appears strongest in the meantime. Why? Because you are determined by it. Alas! you promised to prove that I was determined by the strongest motive, and you have only shown that I had a motive when I acted. But what has determined you then? Can any effect be without a cause? I answer—supposing my self-determining power to exist, it is as real a cause of its proper and distinguishing effect, as your moral necessity: so that the matter just comes to a stand, and is but one and the same thing on one side and on the other.”—(Witherspoon’s Lectures, lect. xiii.)