MALEBRANCHE, marbrifiche, Nicholas French philosopher: b. Paris, 6 Aug. 1638; d there, 13 Oct. 1715. He studied philosophy': the College de la Marche, theology in the bonne and entered the congregation of e< Oratorians in 1660. In the history of Frac: metaphysical speculation he ranks second w to Descartes, the greatest of French thinlet and in 1699 was made member of the Acadeal of Sciences. He was induced to give mar' years' study to the Cartesian philosophy by perusal in 1664 of the treatise 'De Homine" Descartes, and the fruit of his investigation' appeared in his brilliant and original works la Recherche de la Verite) (1674), PI (Traite de l'Imagination.' The essence of lass philosophy is a sort of mystical idealism. cording to him we have cognizance of as well objective realities, as subjective though:s . and feelings, through the idea which resides in our souls; but this idea is in God, so we perceive everything in God (vision en Po) as the primal cause of all existences and tillogs, Hence the famous doctrine of "Occasionalism or "Interference," in accordance with which the objective thing and the subjective impression are made on every occasion to coincide, by the direct interposition of God, in whom alone we think and feel. In the history of
Malebranche may be styled the connecting ha between Descartes and Spinoza, the difference between his philosophy and that of the pantie" ist. Spinoza consisting in the fact that to him the Universe was in God, and to Spinoza
was, in fact, in the Universe. Among his other works are to be mentioned (Conversa tions chretiennes) (1677) ; (Traite de la
et de la grace' (1680) ;
de la
(1684) ; (Entretiens sur la metaphysique et
, la religion' (1688) ;