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# Title: An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding (shelfmarks Leibn. Marg. 38; ZEN Leibn. Marg. 38)
# Folio 248, page id 778263916:0264
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1
is
BC
6. 22. Sixthlru There remains et anottier more general, thOU∞H, per-
haps, less observed Abuse of Nords; and that is, that Men havins by a
lons and tamiliar ule annexed to them certain Ldeas, ther are apt 50 ima-
sine so near and necessary a connexion between +le names and the penisica-
tion they usein chem, that ther formardly suppose one cannot but under-
Stand rtrat their meanins is: and theretore one ouqur to acquiesce in ttie
Words delivered, as it it vere palt doube, that in the ule os tliole comimon
receired sounds, the Spealer and FTcarer had necessarily. the same precise
Ideas. Whence presumino, thac irtien ther have in Discourle used an
Term, They harethereby asit ere set belore ochers the verr thing thei talLE
Ot. And (o likemise takrine the Words of ochers, asnarurally scanding tor jure
Wrhrat they themselres have been accustomed to axply them to, they never
trouble chemselres to explain cheir omn, or underttand clearly orhers
meanins. From Whence commonly procceds Noise, and Wranglins, rirH-
our Improvement or Information; Whilst Mon take Nords tO DC the
constant regular marts of aorecd Norions, Wtich in truth, are no more
but the voluntarr and unsteady signs of their own Ideas. And Vet Nen
chink it Sranse, il in Dilcourse, or (Where it is otten absolutely necestary)
in Dispure, one lometimes astrs the meaning of their Terms: Thouch the
Arguines, one may every day observe in Converlation, matie ic evident,
that there are ferr narnes of coriplex Ideas, which any cwoMenuse For tho
Tame just precise Collection. Fishard to name a Word, Which Will nOE
bea clear instance ofthis. Life is a Permnonemore tamiliar. Ans one almost
erould takre it for an AArone, to be astred ehrat he meant by it. And vet
iEit comes in Gueltion, Whether a Plant, that lies ready Formed in tho
Sced have Lise; Whecher the Embrio in an Fso velore Incubation, Or a
Han in a Sivound ithout Sense or Motion De alive or no, it is casie to
perceire, thaca c’ear distinet settled Idea does not alrazs accompany the
OsC OF So known a Word, as that oF Fife i5. Some orols and contiled
Conceptions Nen indeed ordinarily have, cohich they applythe com-
mon Wordso cheir Language, and char tervesthem vell enough in their
ordinarr Discourses and Aftairs: bur this is nor sufficient for philosophicat
Enquiries. Rnorledse and Realonine require precile determinate ideas.
And chough Men will noc not be lo imporcunately dull, as noc to under.
Ctand whrat others lay, ithout demandins an explicarion ot their Perms;
nor (o troublelomels crirical, as to correct others in the ulc ot che Words
eher receive trom them; vet Where Fruth and Rnomledoe are concerned
in the Case, Ikno not hat Fault it ean be to desire the explication os
Words, Whose sense scems dubious: Or Whr a Nan Mould De astamed to
omn his Tgnorance, in What sense another NIan ules his Nords, Fince ne
Has Do orher ar ot certainlz bnomino it, but by being informed. This
Abule OF takting WVordsupon Trust, has no Where spread (0 tar, nor Witk
O III EFeCtS, aS aMOnG(F NTEn OF LCEOrS. Tte multiplication and obsti:
nacy oE Dilvutes, Wrhich has so laid waste theintollectual Worldu is ovine
to nochinsinore, than eo etuis ill use oF WVords. For though it be gene-
xallys belicred, thar there is great diversity ot Opinions in the Volumes
aud Variety o Controverlies, the Worid is distracted with; yet the most
cari And, eliat the contendirs learned Men of ditterent Parties do, in
their Arguings one ith anocher, is, that they speak ditterene Languages.
For Lam ape roimasine, that wrhen any ot them quietine Terms, thinte
UpOn Fhines, and Knor wrhat chey think, cher thinks all che same. Phougn
pertraps, What ehes vould have, De dittereni.
5. 2.3. To concluce this Consideration ot the Impersectiori, aric Abse
SI LDTEIASC; clc ends os Laneuaze in our Discourse with ocbersu Beine
chietiy