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The Improvement of Human Reason - Exhibited in the Life of Hai Ebn Yokdhan by Ibn Tufail
page 67 of 141 (47%)
Existence was press'd with no less Difficulties, than that of Infinite
Extension: And that such a Being as was not free from Accidents produc'd
anew, must also it self be produc'd anew, because it cannot be said to
be more ancient than those Accidents: And that which cannot exist before
Accidents produc'd in Time, must needs itself be produc'd in Time. Then
on the other hand, when he propos'd to himself the Belief of its being
produc'd a-new, other Objections occur'd to him; for he perceiv'd that
it was impossible to conceive any Notion of its being produc'd a-new,
unless it was suppos'd that there was Time before it; whereas Time was
one of those things which belong'd to the World, and was inseparable
from it; and therefore the World could not be suppos'd to be later than
Time. Then he consider'd, that a Thing Created must needs have a
Creator: And if so, Why did this Creator make the World now, and not as
well before? Was it because of any new Chance which happen'd to him?
That could not be; for there was nothing existent besides himself. Was
it then upon the Account of any Change in his own Nature? But what
should cause that Change? Thus he continued for several Years, arguing
_pro_ and _con_ about this Matter; and a great many Arguments offer'd
themselves on both sides, so that neither of these two Opinions in his
Judgment over-balanc'd the other.

ยง 55. This put him to a great deal of trouble, which made him begin to
consider with himself, what were the Consequences which did follow from
each of these Opinions, and that perhaps they might be both alike. And
he perceiv'd, that if he held that the World was created in Time, and
existed after a total Privation, it would necessarily follow from
thence, that it could not exist of it self, without the help of some
Agent to produce it. And that this Agent must needs be such an one as
cannot be apprehended by our Senses; for if he should be the Object of
Sense, he must: be _Body_, and if _Body_, then a Part of the World, and
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