'An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding, Volume I: THE EPISTLE TO THE READER' hackernoonbooks humaneunderstanding
I have put into thy hands what has been the diversion of some of my idle and heavy hours. If it has the good luck to prove so of any of thine, and thou hast but half so much pleasure in reading as I had in writing it, thou wilt as little think thy money, as I do my pains, ill bestowed. Mistake not this for a commendation of my work; nor conclude, because I was pleased with the doing of it, that therefore I am fondly taken with it now it is done.
This discontinued way of writing may have occasioned, besides others, two contrary faults, viz., that too little and too much may be said in it. If thou findest anything wanting, I shall be glad that what I have written gives thee any desire that I should have gone further.
Of this the ingenious author of the Discourse Concerning the Nature of Man has given me a late instance, to mention no other. For the civility of his expressions, and the candour that belongs to his order, forbid me to think that he would have closed his Preface with an insinuation, as if in what I had said, Book II. ch.
P. 52 I find him express it thus: ‘These natural notions are not so imprinted upon the soul as that they naturally and necessarily exert themselves without any assistance from the outward senses, or without the help of some previous cultivation.’ Here, he says, they ‘exert themselves,’ as p. 78, that the ‘soul exerts them.
CLEAR and DISTINCT ideas are terms which, though familiar and frequent in men’s mouths, I have reason to think every one who uses does not perfectly understand. And possibly ‘tis but here and there one who gives himself the trouble to consider them so far as to know what he himself or others precisely mean by them. I have therefore in most places chose to put DETERMINATE or DETERMINED, instead of CLEAR and DISTINCT, as more likely to direct men’s thoughts to my meaning in this matter.
Malaysia Latest News, Malaysia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Pride and Prejudice: Chapter 7 | HackerNoonPride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen, is part of HackerNoon’s Book Blog Post series.
Read more »
Understanding Ethereum Token Standards | HackerNoonTokens are an incredibly important part of Ethereum and in Web3. Understanding the standards for each type of token can help you understand how it works.
Read more »
David Copperfield - TABLE OF LINKS | HackerNoonDavid Copperfield, by Charles Dickens is part of HackerNoon’s Book Blog Post series. The table of Links for this book can be found here.
Read more »
Cash Rules Everything Around Me (Founders Writing Prompts) | HackerNoonAre you a startup founder? Consider filling out these writing prompts so readers can get to know your company better, and it's a great way for others to learn.
Read more »
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: Chapter X | HackerNoonAdventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) is part of HackerNoon’s Book Blog Post series.
Read more »
Great Expectations: Chapter VIII | HackerNoonGreat Expectations, by Charles Dickens is part of HackerNoon’s Book Blog Post series. You can jump to any chapter in this book here.
Read more »