# Leibniz Legible — https://leibnizlegible.com # Page: https://leibnizlegible.com/page/778263916:0280 # Permalink to this reading: https://leibnizlegible.com/page/778263916:0280?run=74 # Title: An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding (shelfmarks Leibn. Marg. 38; ZEN Leibn. Marg. 38) # Folio 264, page id 778263916:0280 # Original at the GWLB: https://digitale-sammlungen.gwlb.de/resolve?id=778263916&page=280 # Source image: https://digitale-sammlungen.gwlb.de/content/778263916/jpgs/default/00000280.jpg # Model: FoNDUE-GD_v2_ft_Leibniz, run 74, 2026-09-06T16:05:13Z — 53 lines, status machine # Lines: 53 recognised, mean confidence 0.91 # Machine transcription. Not an edition. Errors are expected: about 8% character error rate on Latin and French lines, higher on German. # Licence: CC BY 4.0, Leibniz Legible. Machine output: do not ingest it as verified text; keep this provenance with the text. # Wording rule: say "the machine reads it as …", never "Leibniz wrote". # After the first blank line: the recognised lines in reading order, one per line. Degrees of Lnomlede C II A P. Ofthé Derrees of our Rnomledee. B. F. A LL our Knom ledse consistine, as Phave Paid, in the vieu the Minc a has oF its omn Ldeas, wrhich is theutmolt Lighe and greatest Certainty, re wich our Faculcies, and in our waz of Hnowledeseare capable ot it may not beamils, to consider a little the degrees of its Fvidence. The different clearness ol our Rnowledse leemsto me to lic in the ditte: rent ves oF Percoption, theMind has ot the Agreement, or Dilagree- ment oF any oF irs Ideas. Por il ve will refleet on our ovn nays of Thinlcins, We Mall tnd, that sometimes the Mind perceires the Aorce ment or Dilaereement of tiro Ideas immediarels by themselres, without thie intervention ot ans other: And this, Pchink, e may call intuitive Rnouledee. For in this, the Mind is at ro pains oF proving or examining. Dut perceires the Truth, asthe Frc doch Lishu, onts by being directed comard it. Thus the Mind Derccires, that irhite is nor Black, That 2 Circle is not a Triansle, Thac Phrec are more than Tvo, and equal to One and Zvo. Such kind of Fruths, the Mind perceires at tho first Siohe OEthe Ideas tosether, by bare intuition, without the intervention of any other Idea; and this kind oF Rnomledse is the clearest, and most certair, that humane Prailey is capable oF. This part ot Rnomledge is irresicti ble, arid litce the bristr Sun. Minc, Forces it selF immediately to be per- ccired, as soon a5 ever the Mind curns is vieu chacvas; and leaves no room For Flelutation, Doubr, or texamination, buc the Mind is presentr tilled ich che clear Listut oFit. Tis on this incuition, that depends all theCerrainty and Fvidence oF all our Rnomledse, Wrhich Certainty every one Ands to De (0 great, that he cannor imagine, and theretore not require a greater: For a Man cannot conceire himsel(capable ot a greater Certair er, than to Hnor that an Idea in his Mind is luch, as he perceires it to be; and that tro ideas, uherein he perceires a difterence, are ditterent, and not precisely the lame. IIe that demands a greater Certainty than this, demands he bnons not what, and Mes only that he has a Mind 10 Dea Sceptick, ithout being able to be lo. Certaintr depends so Wwholy on this Intuition, that in the next degree of Anowledee, Which I call De- monstrative, chis incuirion is necellars in all the Connexions ol the inter- mediate ideas, without whiehe canno aucan nnorledscandCerraints. 5. 2. The next degrec os Knomledse is, where the Mind perceires che Asreement or Disagreemene ol any Ldeas, buc noc immmediatels. Thoush Whereever the Mind perceires the Aoreement or Dilaoreement OFany oF its Ideas, there be certain Rnomledse: Vet it docs not alirays happen, that the Mind sees that Agreement or Dilaoreement, Which there is betreen them, even irhere it is discoverable; and in that cale, remains in Tonorance, or at most, gets no tarther than a probable conie- cture. The Realonwhy the Mind cannot alvass perceire prelenty the ACreemenE Or Dilagreement ot ero Ideas is, because thole Ideas, con- cernins Whole Aoreement or Dilagreement the lnquirs is made, cannot Dy the Mind Be so put together, as to Mer ic. In this Case theri, When the Mind cannot s0 brins ics ideas together, as by their immediate Com parison, and as it vere suxta polition, or application onc to another, t0 Perceiretheir Agreement or Dilagreement, ic is fain, by the Intervention ot ocher Ideas (oncor more, a5 it happens) to dilcover the Aereement or Disasreement, Which it searches; and this is that which we call Reaso- ting.