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 this idea of solidity is the extension of body distinguished from
the extension of space:—the extension of body being nothing but the
cohesion or continuity of solid, separable, movable parts; and the
extension of space, the continuity of unsolid, inseparable, and
immovable parts. Upon the solidity of bodies also depend their mutual
impulse, resistance, and protrusion. Of pure space then, and solidity,
there are several (amongst which I confess myself one) who persuade
themselves they have clear and distinct ideas; and that they can think
on space, without anything in it that resists or is protruded by body.
This is the idea of pure space, which they think they have as clear as
any idea they can have of the extension of body: the idea of the
distance between the opposite parts of a concave superficies being
equally as clear without as with the idea of any solid parts between:
and on the other side, they persuade themselves that they have,
distinct from that of pure space, the idea of SOMETHING THAT FILLS
SPACE, that can be protruded by the impulse of other bodies, or resist
their motion. If there be others that have not these two ideas
distinct, but confound them, and make but one of them, I know not how
men, who have the same idea under different names, or different ideas
under the same name, can in that case talk with one another; any more
than a man who, not being blind or deaf, has distinct ideas of the
colour of scarlet and the sound of a trumpet, could discourse
concerning scarlet colour with the blind man I mentioned in another
place, who fancied that the idea of scarlet was like the sound of a
trumpet.
6. What Solidity is.
If any one asks me, WHAT THIS SOLIDITY IS, I send him to his senses to
inform him. Let him put a flint or a football between his hands, and
then endeavour to join them, and he will know. If he thinks this not a
sufficient explication of solidity, what it is, and wherein it
consists; I promise to tell him what it is, and wherein it consists,
when he tells me what thinking is, or wherein it consists; or explains
to me what extension or motion is, which perhaps seems much easier. The
simple ideas we have, are such as experience teaches them us; but if,
beyond that, we endeavour by words to make them clearer in the mind, we
shall succeed no better than if we went about to clear up the darkness
of a blind man’s mind by talking; and to discourse into him the ideas
of light and colours. The reason of this I shall show in another place.
CHAPTER V.
OF SIMPLE IDEAS OF DIVERS SENSES.
Ideas received both by seeing and touching.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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