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
Ibi (sc. prope Belbes in Aegypto) vidimus sanctum unum Saracenicum
inter arenarum cumulos, ita ut ex utero matris prodiit nudum sedentem.
Mos est, ut didicimus, Mahometistis, ut eos, qui amentes et sine
ratione sunt, pro sanctis colant et venerentur. Insuper et eos, qui cum
diu vitam egerint inquinatissimam, voluntariam demum poenitentiam et
paupertatem, sanctitate venerandos deputant. Ejusmodi vero genus
hominum libertatem quandam effrenem habent, domos quos volunt intrandi,
edendi, bibendi, et quod majus est, concumbendi; ex quo concubitu, si
proles secuta fuerit, sancta similiter habetur. His ergo hominibus dum
vivunt, magnos exhibent honores; mortuis vero vel templa vel monumenta
extruunt amplissima, eosque contingere ac sepelire maximae fortunae
ducunt loco. Audivimus haec dicta et dicenda per interpretem a Mucrelo
nostro. Insuper sanctum ilium, quern eo loco vidimus, publicitus
apprime commendari, eum esse hominem sanctum, divinum ac integritate
praecipuum; eo quod, nec faminarum unquam esset, nec puerorum, sed
tantummodo asellarum concubitor atque mularum. (Peregr. Baumgarten, 1.
ii. c. i. p. 73.)
Where then are those innate principles of justice, piety, gratitude,
equity, chastity? Or where is that universal consent that assures us
there are such inbred rules? Murders in duels, when fashion has made
them honourable, are committed without remorse of conscience: nay, in
many places innocence in this case is the greatest ignominy. And if we
look abroad to take a view of men as they are, we shall find that they
have remorse, in one place, for doing or omitting that which others, in
another place, think they merit by.
10. Men have contrary practical Principles.
He that will carefully peruse the history of mankind, and look abroad
into the several tribes of men, and with indifferency survey their
actions, will be able to satisfy himself, that there is scarce that
principle of morality to be named, or, rule of virtue to be thought on,
(those only excepted that are absolutely necessary to hold society
together, which commonly too are neglected betwixt distinct societies,)
which is not, somewhere or other, slighted and condemned by the general
fashion of whole societies of men, governed by practical opinions and
rules of living quite opposite to others.
11. Whole Nations reject several Moral Rules.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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