The <xref>theological</xref>-<xref>philosophical</xref> system of the <xref>French</xref> <xref>philosopher</xref> Nicolas Malebranche (1638–1715), based on the <xref>doctrine</xref> that the <xref>mind</xref> can not have <xref>knowledge</xref> of anything <xref>external</xref> to itself except in its relation to <xref>God</xref>.