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
POWER being the source from whence all action proceeds, the substances
wherein these powers are, when they *[lost line??] exert this power
into act, are called CAUSES, and the substances which thereupon are
produced, or the simple ideas which are introduced into any subject by
the exerting of that power, are called EFFECTS. The EFFICACY whereby
the new substance or idea is produced is called, in the subject
exerting that power, ACTION; but in the subject wherein any simple idea
is changed or produced, it is called PASSION: which efficacy, however
various, and the effects almost infinite, yet we can, I think, conceive
it, in intellectual agents, to be nothing else but modes of thinking
and willing; in corporeal agents, nothing else but modifications of
motion. I say I think we cannot conceive it to be any other but these
two. For whatever sort of action besides these produces any effects, I
confess myself to have no notion nor idea of; and so it is quite remote
from my thoughts, apprehensions, and knowledge; and as much in the dark
to me as five other senses, or as the ideas of colours to a blind man.
And therefore many words which seem to express some action, signify
nothing of the action or MODUS OPERANDI at all, but barely the effect,
with some circumstances of the subject wrought on, or cause operating:
v.g. CREATION, ANNIHILATION, contain in them no idea of the action or
manner whereby they are produced, but barely of the cause, and the
thing done. And when a countryman says the cold freezes water, though
the word freezing seems to import some action, yet truly it signifies
nothing but the effect, viz. that water that was before fluid is become
hard and consistent, without containing any idea of the action whereby
it is done.
12. Mixed Modes made also of other Ideas than those of Power and
Action.
I think I shall not need to remark here that, though power and action
make the greatest part of mixed modes, marked by names, and familiar in
the minds and mouths of men, yet other simple ideas, and their several
combinations, are not excluded: much less, I think, will it be
necessary for me to enumerate all the mixed modes which have been
settled, with names to them. That would be to make a dictionary of the
greatest part of the words made use of in divinity, ethics, law, and
politics, and several other sciences. All that is requisite to my
present design, is to show what sort of ideas those are which I call
mixed modes; how the mind comes by them; and that they are compositions
made up of simple ideas got from sensation and reflection; which I
suppose I have done.
CHAPTER XXIII.
OF OUR COMPLEX IDEAS OF SUBSTANCES.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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