An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding, Volume 1: MDCXC, Based on the 2nd Edition, Books 1 and 2Locke, John
Philosophy
An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding, Volume 1: MDCXC, Based on the 2nd Edition, Books 1 and 2
Locke, John
Knowledge, Theory of -- Early works to 1800
By the repeating, as has been said, the idea of an unit, and joining it
to another unit, we make thereof one collective idea, marked by the
name two. And whosoever can do this, and proceed on, still adding one
more to the last collective idea which he had of any number, and gave a
name to it, may count, or have ideas, for several collections of units,
distinguished one from another, as far as he hath a series of names for
following numbers, and a memory to retain that series, with their
several names: all numeration being but still the adding of one unit
more, and giving to the whole together, as comprehended in one idea, a
new or distinct name or sign, whereby to know it from those before and
after, and distinguish it from every smaller or greater multitude of
units. So that he that can add one to one, and so to two, and so go on
with his tale, taking still with him the distinct names belonging to
every progression; and so again, by subtracting an unit from each
collection, retreat and lessen them, is capable of all the ideas of
numbers within the compass of his language, or for which he hath names,
though not perhaps of more. For, the several simple modes of numbers
being in our minds but so many combinations of units, which have no
variety, nor are capable of any other difference but more or less,
names or marks for each distinct combination seem more necessary than
in any other sort of ideas. For, without such names or marks, we can
hardly well make use of numbers in reckoning, especially where the
combination is made up of any great multitude of units; which put
together, without a name or mark to distinguish that precise
collection, will hardly be kept from being a heap in confusion.
6. Another reason for the necessity of names to numbers.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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