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
Pain has the same efficacy and use to set us on work that pleasure has,
we being as ready to employ our faculties to avoid that, as to pursue
this: only this is worth our consideration, that pain is often produced
by the same objects and ideas that produce pleasure in us. This their
near conjunction, which makes us often feel pain in the sensations
where we expected pleasure, gives us new occasion of admiring the
wisdom and goodness of our Maker, who, designing the preservation of
our being, has annexed pain to the application of many things to our
bodies, to warn us of the harm that they will do, and as advices to
withdraw from them. But he, not designing our preservation barely, but
the preservation of every part and organ in its perfection, hath in
many cases annexed pain to those very ideas which delight us. Thus
heat, that is very agreeable to us in one degree, by a little greater
increase of it proves no ordinary torment: and the most pleasant of all
sensible objects, light itself, if there be too much of it, if
increased beyond a due proportion to our eyes, causes a very painful
sensation. Which is wisely and favourably so ordered by nature, that
when any object does, by the vehemency of its operation, disorder the
instruments of sensation, whose structures cannot but be very nice and
delicate, we might, by the pain, be warned to withdraw, before the
organ be quite put out of order, and so be unfitted for its proper
function for the future. The consideration of those objects that
produce it may well persuade us, that this is the end or use of pain.
For, though great light be insufferable to our eyes, yet the highest
degree of darkness does not at all disease them: because that, causing
no disorderly motion in it, leaves that curious organ unharmed in its
natural state. But yet excess of cold as well as heat pains us: because
it is equally destructive to that temper which is necessary to the
preservation of life, and the exercise of the several functions of the
body, and which consists in a moderate degree of warmth; or, if you
please, a motion of the insensible parts of our bodies, confined within
certain bounds.
5. Another end.
Beyond all this, we may find another reason why God hath scattered up
and down several degrees of pleasure and pain, in all the things that
environ and affect us; and blended them together in almost all that our
thoughts and senses have to do with;—that we, finding imperfection,
dissatisfaction, and want of complete happiness, in all the enjoyments
which the creatures can afford us, might be led to seek it in the
enjoyment of Him with whom there is fullness of joy, and at whose right
hand are pleasures for evermore.
6. Goodness of God in annexing pleasure and pain to our other ideas.
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