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# Title: An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding (shelfmarks Leibn. Marg. 38; ZEN Leibn. Marg. 38)
# Folio 284, page id 778263916:0300
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Realiry of Lnmledee.
6. 7. And henco it FolIOWs, tat moral Knomledee is as capable of reat
Certaintr, 25 Mathematicks. For Cerrainey beins but the l’erception ot
the AOrCemenE, or Disagreement ol our Ideas; and Demonstration no-
chins but the Perception of luch Agrcement, by che Intervention ot ottier
Ideas, Or Mediums, our moral Ideas, a5 ell as mathematical, Deiris AF-
chetrpes themselres, and so adequate, and compleat Ldeas, aIl the AGrCC-
ment, or Dilacreement re Mail find in them, will produce real finon-
ledse, as vell as in mathemarical Figures.
5. 8. Thac which is requilie to makee our Rnomledse certain, is the
Clearness oF our Ideas; and that rtich is required to matre ic real is, FhaE
ther ansiver their Archetypes. Nor let it be wondred, that L place LHC
Certaintr oF our Hnorledse inthe Conlideration ot our Pdeas, wich (0
lirele Care and Recard (as it maz scem) to the real Fxistence oF Things:
Since most ofthole Discourses, Which take up the Thoughus, and engase
the Disputes ot those who pretend to make it cheir Businels to enguire af-
ter Fruchand Certainey, rill, Ppresume, upon FXamination be tound to
De ceneral Propositions, an Notions in which Fxistence is not at all con-
cerned. AII the Discourles of the Mathematicians about the sguaring oF
a Cirele, conick Sections, oranz other part ot Mathematiels, concernnot
the Existence of any of those Figures; bur their Demonstrations irhrich
depend on their Ldeas are the lame, Whether there De ans square or Circle
exictins in the World, or no. In the lame manner, ehe iruth and Cer.
taintr ofmoral Dilcourses abstracts trom the Lires oFNen, and the F-
xistence of those Vertues in the Worid, Whereolther trear: Nor is TullyS
Ostices less rrue, becaule chere is no Body in the W orld that exactlY pra-
ctices his Rules, and lives up to chat partern of a vertuous Man, Which
hetras given us, and wrtrich existed no where wrhien he vrrit but in Idea.
IF it be erue in Speculation, i. c. in Idea, thac Murther deserves DeatH, it
Wrill also be true in Reality oF ans Action that exilts comtormable rothac
Idea oFMurther. AS For other Actions, the Truch of that Propolition
Concernsthem nOF. And thus it is oF aIL other Species oF Things, irhich
have no other FNences but thole Ideas Whichare in chertinds ot Men.
8. 9. Bucit will here be Caid, that il moral Rnorledse be placed in ehe
Contemplation ofour on moral Ideas, and those, as other Modes, be ot
our oonmmattine. What scranse Plorions illchere be ol fustice and Tem.
perance. What contusion ot Vertues and Vices, il every onc may matie
Wrhrat Ideas of them liepleases: Hocontution nor disorder in che Things
chemselres, nor the Realonines aboucthem: no more than (in Mathema-
ticks) there rouldbe a dicturbance in the Demonstrarion, or a chonge in
theProperties oEFigures, and their Relations one to another, IF a Mam
Arould male a Triarsle erith Pour Corners, or a Fraxezium ith Four
richt Aneles: that is, in plain Fnslistr, chanse the Names Ot the Figures,
ane call thar by one Name, erhich Mathemaricians calld ordinarils by ano-
cher. For lec a Man make to himsele the Ldea oF a Figure with chree
Ansles, Whereot one is a rislir one, and callie, il he please, Equilaterum
Or Frapezium, or any thine elle, the Properties of, and Demonstrations
about that idea, ill beche same, as il he calld it a Rectangular- Pri-
anole. Pconsels, the chanse of cheName, by the improvriets ot Spcectu
Wiil at Cirst dicturb him, Who lnors not irhat Idea ic Cands for; but 25
soon as the Fioure is dramn. the Consequences and Demonltration arc
plain and clear. And just che same is it in moral HEnomledse, let a Wan
have the Ldea oFraking from others, without their Consent What cheir
honest Industry has possessed them oF, and call ehis fustice, il hepleale.
EIe ChaE cabCS Etic Name here ithoue che Idea put 20 il, Will BC millatiea
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