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# Title: An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding (shelfmarks Leibn. Marg. 38; ZEN Leibn. Marg. 38)
# Folio 275, page id 778263916:0291
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Extent of Flumane lnomledee
nificarion, thic precise Collection oF simple Idcas thez sand Por notbeine
E0 calily aEreed on, and so the Sien thac is used Por chem in Communi
cation, alrays, and in Thinkins, often, does nor alvars carer with it ElC
same Idea. Opon wrhich the lame Disorder, Contusion, and Frior Fol
Lons, as vould ifa Man, soins toderrionstrate lomethins of an HeDTa
son, Mould in che Diasram he tooh to do it, leave our onc of the AnEles
and by overlishe make the Figure rich onc ansle lels than ehe name Or.
dinarily imported, or he intended ic Bould, Wvhen aF ArKL he FhoWgHE ot
his Demonstration. This ostenhappens, and is harely avoidable in very
complex moral Ldeas, Where the Pame name beins retained, one Angle
1. e. One simple Ldea is lest out or put in, inthe complex one, (sill called
by ehe lame name,) more at one timechan anocher. Secondly, From che
Complexednels oFthele moral Ideas there follons anocher Inconvenience,
(212.) chat the Mind cannot casils retain chole precise Combinarions, (0
exactlys and pertectlr, as is necellary in the Examination oF che Hlabitudes
and Correspondencies, Agreements or Dilagreemenes, of several, ol chem
one rithanocher; especially irhere it isto be judged of by lons Deductions,
and chelntervention of several other complex Ideas, 1o thewr che Aeree
ment, or Dilagreement of tiro remote OnCs.
The great help asainst chis, whieh Machematicians find in Diagrams
and Fisures, which remain unalterable in cheir Bransles, is very apparent,
aud the memory ould olten have great difticules ocherwise coretainthem
soexactly, whilst theMind ent over the parts oE ehemm, Aep by Aep, 10
examine their several Correspondencies: And thoueh in castins up à lons
Summ, cither in addition, Mulciplication, or Divilion, every part be oniy
2 Proprestion oEthe Mind, takins a vie oE its omn Ideas, and conside-
rins cheir Agreement or Dilagreement, and che Resolurion oEthe Duection
Denochins but the RetulE oF che Whole, made ur ot such particulars,
Wrhereot che Mind has a clear Perception; vet wichour settins domn ehe
several Parrs by martis, whole precile signitications are knomn, and py
marles, thar last and remain in view, wrhien the memory had lec them 50:
it irould be almostimpolsible ro carrys so many difterent ideas in MInd,
ithout contoundins, or lettins Dip some parts ot the Reckonins, and
chereby malins all our Realoninss abour it uselels. In Which Cale, the
Crphers or Marhshelp not the Mind ac all to perceire the Agrcement ot
anv tro, or more Numbers, their liqualities or Proportions. Fhat thc
Mind has ouly by Incuition oE ics own Ldeas of the Numbers chemselves.
But che numerical Characters are helps co thememorr, to record and re-
tainthe sevecal Ldeas about which the Demonstration is made, Whereby a
man mas lenom hor tar his intuirire Rnomledse, in surverins several oF
ihe particulars, has procceded; that (o he may rithout Consulion s0 on
eo what is vet untenon; and at last, have in onc vier belore him thc
ResulE oF all his Perceptions and Rcasonins5.
6. 20 One part ol these Disadvantares, in moral Ideas, wtrich has made
eliem bethoushr noc capable of Demonstration, may in a go0d mealure
De remedied by Deinitions, sertins dornehat Collection ot simple Ideas,
ertich every Ferm Mall Stand tor; and then usins che Terms stedily
and constanur for that precise Collection. And what methods Alsebra-
or Comethins of char kind, may hercatter susgest, to remore the other diffi
culties, is not casieto soretell. Contident Lam, that il Nen vould inthe
lamme method, and rith the lame indiftereney, search atter moral, as chey
do machematical Fruths, they vould sind them to have a Aronger Con-
nexion ore rich another, and a more necellary Consequence trom our
eleuc and distint Edeas, anid 10 come nearer persect Demonctracion, thar