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# Title: An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding (shelfmarks Leibn. Marg. 38; ZEN Leibn. Marg. 38)
# Folio 12, page id 778263916:0028
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Voinnate Principles in the Mlind.
and then eo Propositions, made in such Ferms, Whose signilicarion We
have learnt, and irherein the Aereement or Dilasreement we can perccire
in our Ideas, Wrhen put together, is expressed, e at first hearine assent;
thouoh to other Propositions, in themselres as certain and cridene, buE
ertrich are concernins Ldeas, not (0 loon nor casily SOL, We are aE FhC
same time no ras capable of assentins. For thouch a Child quickIY 2I.
sent cochisProposition, That an Apple is not Fire; Whien, Dy familiar RC-
quaintance, he has sor the Ldeas oF thole erro difterent thines distincs
imprinted on his Mind, and has learnE FhaL the Names Apple and Fire
stand For them: Vet, it will be lome rears alter, pertraps, before FhC FaO
Child ill asfent tothis Proxolition, That it is impossible for the same
thine tobe, and not to be. Becaule, that chouoh, perhaps, the Words aro
as ealic to De learne: vet, the signification ot them, beins more laree,
comprehensire, and abstract, than oF the Names annexed to thole sen(I
Dle thinos, the Child hath to do rith, it is lonser betore he learns their
precile meanins, and it requires more time plaints to form in his Mind
those general Ideas, ther Atand For. Till thac be donc, rou will in
vain endeavour to matre anr Child alsent to a Propolition, made up ot
tuch general Terms: But as loon as ever hehas gor thole Idea s, and learnd
their Names, he Formardly cloles ith theone, as Well as the ottier oF the
Forementioned Propositions; and trith both for che Tame Rcalon; (2i2.)
because he finds the Ldeas he has in his Mind, to agrec or dilagree, ac
cordino as the Words sandins For them, are attirmed, or denied one ot 2-
nocher in the Proposition. But is Propositions be broughe tohim in Wores
irtrich stand For Ldeas he has noc ret in his Mind: 10 luch Propolitions,
horverer evidently erue or False in themselves, he aftords neicher assent
nor dissent, but is isnorant. For Words, Deins buc empey founds, any
Farther chan ther are SienS OF ouY Ideas, Wre cannot but alsont to them,
asther correspond cothose Pdeas ve hare, but no tarther than that. BUE
eho Perming by wrhac Sceps and. Ways Rnomledse comes into our
Minds, and the srounds of several deorees ot alsent, beins the Business
of the solloins Discourle, it maz suttice to hare onlr touched on it here,
25 one Reason, that made me doube of thole innate Principles.
5. 24. Fo concludethis Argument oF universal Consent, lagree rith
these Detenders oP innare Principles; That il they are innate, they must
necds have universal assent. FOr Fhat a Fruth Mould De innate, andl ver
not assented eo, is to me as unintelligible, a5 for a Man to lnow a Fruth.
and be ipnorant ot ic at the lame cime. Bur then, by chele MenSoWn
Confession, ther cannot be innare; fince thez are not alsented to, by
those who understand not the Ferms, nor by a great part of thole irtio
do understand chem, but have ver never heard, nor thouxht oftholePro-
politions; Which Tthinte, is at least one half of Mankcind. But vere the
Number Par less, it vould De enoush 1o destroy univertal assene, and
thereby ser chele Propositions not to beinnate, il Childron alone vere
ISNOTANE OF CheM.
6. 25. But Fhat Tmay not be acculed, to argue From the thougHES OFIn-
Fanes, Wrtrich are untrnomntous, and to conclude, trom erhrat passes in
thicir Onderstandinos, betore ther express its ICay next, Thac thele tivo
General Propositions are not the Truchs, chat first possess the Minds ot
Childron; nor are antecedent to all acquired, and adrentitious Notions:
Wrhichis cher vere innate, they must needs be. Whether we can deter-
ineit Or no, IE matters not, there is certainls a time, When Children
Degin to chint, and their Nords and Actions do acture us, that ther do
10. When cheretore they are capable oF Thoushe, of Hnowledoe, ol AL.
sent