An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding, Volume 2: MDCXC, Based on the 2nd Edition, Books 3 and 4 — John Locke — John Shaqi
An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding, Volume 2: MDCXC, Based on the 2nd Edition, Books 3 and 4
John Locke · en
have, we shall ever be able to carry our general knowledge (I say not
particular experience) in this part much further. Experience is that
which in this part we must depend on. And it were to be wished that it
were more improved. We find the advantages some men's generous pains
have this way brought to the stock of natural knowledge. And if others,
especially the philosophers by fire, who pretend to it, had been so wary
in their observations, and sincere in their reports as those who call
themselves philosophers ought to have been, our acquaintance with the
bodies here about us, and our insight into their powers and operations
had been yet much greater.
17. Of the Powers that co-exist in Spirits yet narrower.
If we are at a loss in respect of the powers and operations of bodies, I
think it is easy to conclude we are much more in the dark in reference
to spirits; whereof we naturally have no ideas but what we draw from
that of our own, by reflecting on the operations of our own souls
within us, as far as they can come within our observation. But how
inconsiderable a rank the spirits that inhabit our bodies hold amongst
those various and possibly innumerable kinds of nobler beings; and how
far short they come of the endowments and perfections of cherubim and
seraphim, and infinite sorts of spirits above us, is what by a transient
hint in another place I have offered to my reader's consideration.
18. Thirdly, Of Relations between abstracted ideas it is not easy to say
how far our knowledge extends.
THIRDLY, As to the third sort of our knowledge, viz. the agreement or
disagreement of any of our ideas in any other relation: this, as it is
the largest field of our knowledge, so it is hard to determine how
far it may extend: because the advances that are made in this part of
knowledge, depending on our sagacity in finding intermediate ideas, that
may show the relations and habitudes of ideas whose co-existence is not
considered, it is a hard matter to tell when we are at an end of such
discoveries; and when reason has all the helps it is capable of, for the
finding of proofs, or examining the agreement or disagreement of remote
ideas. They that are ignorant of Algebra cannot imagine the wonders in
this kind are to be done by it: and what further improvements and helps
advantageous to other parts of knowledge the sagacious mind of man may
yet find out, it is not easy to determine. This at least I believe,
that the IDEAS OF QUANTITY are not those alone that are capable of
demonstration and knowledge; and that other, and perhaps more useful,
parts of contemplation, would afford us certainty, if vices, passions,
and domineering interest did not oppose or menace such endeavours.
Morality capable of Demonstration