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# Title: An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding (shelfmarks Leibn. Marg. 38; ZEN Leibn. Marg. 38)
# Folio 166, page id 778263916:0182
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Distinct and Confused Ideas.
BOCk
a TOrE OF Thines, or any one particular Fhins, distnie From all others, the
complex Idea he annexes to that Name, is the more diltinct, the more
particular the Ldeas are, and the greater and more determinate the num-
ber and order ofthem is, irhereot it is made up. For themore it has oF
thele, the more has it sill oF the perceirable differences, Whereby it is
Kepe separate and distincet trom alt Ideas belongins to other Names, even
those that approach nearest to it, and thereby all contusion ith them is
avoided.
B. FF. Confusion, maleins it a difficulty eo separate tro Things that
Mould De separated, concerns alvays ruo Ideas: andthose most, hichmost
approach one another. Whenerer theretore ve suspect any Idea to be
confuled, e must examine irhat other it is in danger to be contounded
wich, or Which it cannor easils be separated trom; and that will alrays
be found an Ldea belongins to another Name, and (o Mould be a different
Thing, trom wrhich vet ic is not sufticienely distinet; beiris cither the
Tame ithie, or malcing a pare oFic, Or, at least, as provertr call d by thae
Name, as the other it is ranted under; and (0 kecps not that difference
From that ocher Idea, erhich the different Names import.
5. F2. This, Tthinke, is the consusion prover to Ideas; Which still carries
rith it a secret reterence to Names. At least ilchere be any other contusi
on oF Ideas, this is that irhich most of all dilorcers Mens Thoughts and
Discourles: Pdeas, as ranked under Names, beins thole chat for the most
Part Men reason oF within themselres, and alvays those wtich ther com
municate about, wich ochers. And theretore irhere there are supposed
tvo ditterent Ideas, martred by tro different Names, Which are noc 25
distinguistrable as the Sounds that Rtand for eliem, chere never tails to bo
consation: And ihere ans ideas are distinet, as the Ideas oF those tvo
Sounds ther are martced By, there can be between them no confusion. The
vay to prevent it is eo collect and unire into our complex Idea, as precile-
IY as is possible, al thole Ineredients, Whereby it is differenced From o.
thers, and to them lo united in a determinate number and order, apply
steadily the same Name. But this neither accommodatine Nens eale
Or vanier, or servins any desion, but that of natced Fruth, Which is nOt
alivays the thins aimed at, such exactnels, is rather to be wisthred, than
hroped for. And since the loole application ot Nlames, to uncertain, and
almost no Ideas, serres both to cover our omn gnorance, as vell asto
perplex and contound others, which soes for Learnins and Superiority in
Knomledge, it is no monder thar molt Men Mould ulc it themselres, rhilst
they complain of it in others. Though yet, L chink, no small part ofthe
contution, co beFound in theNotions otMen, mistt, by care and ingenuiti,
beavoided; vet Iam tar trom chinting it every where iltul. Some Ideas
are (o complex, and made ux of (0 many parts, that the Memorr does
not ealily retain the very lame precile Comibination ot simole Ideas, under
one Name; much lels are ve able constantis to divine Por what precile
complex Idea such a Name Bands in anocher Mans usc oF it. From the
ArstOsthese, Fotlons contusion in a Mans orn Realoninos and Opinions
richin himselts trom the latter, Frequent contusion in discourling and arou-
ing ith ochers. Dut having more at large treated ot Words, their De-
Fects and Abuses inthe follorins BoOk, I Mallhere lay no more of It.
6. F3. Our complex Ideas beins made ux of Collections, and lo varietr
oElimple ones, may accordinsly be very clear and distinet in one part, and
very obscure and confused in another. In a Man Whro speals oF à Chiliade.
ron, Or a Body ot a thouland lides, the Idea ot the tioure may be verr
contuled, chousli that ot ihe Number Berery dictind. 1o tliat ho bcires
abt