The English works of Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury, Volume 01 (of 11) — Thomas Hobbes — John Shaqi
The English works of Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury, Volume 01 (of 11)
Thomas Hobbes · en
19. It may to some men seem pertinent to treat in this place of that art
of the geometricians, which they call _logistica_, that is, the art, by
which, from supposing the thing in question to be true, they proceed by
ratiocination, till either they come to something known, by which they
may demonstrate the truth of the thing sought for; or to something which
is impossible, from whence they collect that to be false, which they
supposed true. But this art cannot be explicated here, for this reason,
that the method of it can neither be practised, nor understood, unless
by such as are well versed in geometry; and among geometricians
themselves, they, that have most theorems in readiness, are the most
ready in the use of this _logistica_; so that, indeed, it is not a
distinct thing from geometry itself; for there are, in the method of it,
three parts; the first whereof consists in the finding out of equality
betwixt known and unknown things, which they call equation; and this
equation cannot be found out, but by such as know perfectly the nature,
properties, and transpositions of proportion, as also the addition,
subtraction, multiplication, and division of lines and superficies, and
the extraction of roots; which are the parts of no mean geometrician.
The second is, when an equation is found, to be able to judge whether
the truth or falsity of the question may be deduced from it, or no;
which yet requires greater knowledge. And the third is, when such an
equation is found, as is fit for the solution of the question, to know
how to resolve the same in such manner, that the truth or falsity may
thereby manifestly appear; which, in hard questions, cannot be done
without the knowledge of the nature of crooked-lined figures; but he
that understands readily the nature and properties of these, is a
complete geometrician. It happens besides, that for the finding out of
equations, there is no certain method, but he is best able to do it,
that has the best natural wit.
PART II.
THE
FIRST GROUNDS OF PHILOSOPHY.
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CHAPTER VII.
OF PLACE AND TIME.
1. Things that have no existence, may nevertheless be understood and
computed.—2. What is Space.—3. Time.—4. Part.—5. Division.—6.
One.—7. Number.—8. Composition.—9. The whole.—10. Spaces and times
contiguous, and continual.—11. Beginning, end, way, finite,
infinite.—12. What is infinite in power. Nothing infinite can be
truly said to be either whole, or one; nor infinite spaces or times,
many.—13. Division proceeds not to the least.
[Sidenote: Things that have no existence, may nevertheless be understood
and computed.]