Object, beside its proper signification, came to be
abusively applied to denote motive, end, final cause . . .
. This innovation was probably borrowed from the French.
--Sir. W.
Hamilton.
Let our object be, our country, our whole country, and
nothing but our country. --D. Webster.
4. Sight; show; appearance; aspect. [Obs.] --Shak.
He, advancing close Up to the lake, past all the
rest, arose In glorious object. --Chapman.
5. (Gram.) A word, phrase, or clause toward which an action
is directed, or is considered to be directed; as, the
object of a transitive verb.
{Object glass}, the lens, or system of lenses, placed at the
end of a telescope, microscope, etc., which is toward the
object. Its office is to form an image of the object,
which is then viewed by the eyepiece. Called also
{objective}. See Illust. of {Microscope}.
{Object lesson}, a lesson in which object teaching is made
use of.
{Object staff}. (Leveling) Same as {Leveling staff}.
{Object teaching}, a method of instruction, in which
illustrative objects are employed, each new word or idea
being accompanied by a representation of that which it
signifies; -- used especially in the kindergarten, for
young children.
2. (Metaph.) Of or pertaining to an object; contained in, or
having the nature or position of, an object; outward;
external; extrinsic; -- an epithet applied to whatever ir
exterior to the mind, or which is simply an object of
thought or feeling, and opposed to {subjective}.
In the Middle Ages, subject meant substance, and has
this sense in Descartes and Spinoza: sometimes,
also, in Reid. Subjective is used by William of
Occam to denote that which exists independent of
mind; objective, what is formed by the mind. This
shows what is meant by realitas objectiva in
Descartes. Kant and Fichte have inverted the
meanings. Subject, with them, is the mind which
knows; object, that which is known; subjective, the
varying conditions of the knowing mind; objective,
that which is in the constant nature of the thing
known. --Trendelenburg.
Objective means that which belongs to, or proceeds
from, the object known, and not from the subject
knowing, and thus denotes what is real, in
opposition to that which is ideal -- what exists in
nature, in contrast to what exists merely in the
thought of the individual. --Sir. W.
Hamilton.
Objective has come to mean that which has
independent exostence or authority, apart from our
experience or thought. Thus, moral law is said to
have objective authority, that is, authority
belonging to itself, and not drawn from anything in
our nature. --Calderwood
(Fleming's
Vocabulary).
3. (Gram.) Pertaining to, or designating, the case which
follows a transitive verb or a preposition, being that
case in which the direct object of the verb is placed. See
{Accusative}, n.
Note: The objective case is frequently used without a
governing word, esp. in designations of time or space,
where a preposition, as at, in, on, etc., may be
supplied.
My troublous dream [on] this night make me sad.
--Shak.
To write of victories [in or for] next year.
--Hudibras.
{Objective line} (Perspective), a line drawn on the
geometrical plane which is represented or sought to be
represented.
{Objective plane} (Perspective), any plane in the horizontal
plane that is represented.
{Objective point}, the point or result to which the
operations of an army are directed. By extension, the
point or purpose to which anything, as a journey or an
argument, is directed.
Syn: {Objective}, {Subjective}.
Usage: Objective is applied to things exterior to the mind,
and objects of its attention; subjective, to the
operations of the mind itself. Hence, an objective
motive is some outward thing awakening desire; a
subjective motive is some internal feeling or
propensity. Objective views are those governed by
outward things; subjective views are produced or
modified by internal feeling. Sir Walter Scott's
poetry is chiefly objective; that of Wordsworth is
eminently subjective.
In the philosophy of mind, subjective denotes
what is to be referred to the thinking subject,
the ego; objective what belongs to the object of
thought, the non-ego. --Sir. W.
Hamilton
2. An object glass. See under {Object}, n.
3. Same as {Objective point}, under {Objective}, a.