# Leibniz Legible — https://leibnizlegible.com # Page: https://leibnizlegible.com/page/778263916:0317 # Permalink to this reading: https://leibnizlegible.com/page/778263916:0317?run=74 # Title: An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding (shelfmarks Leibn. Marg. 38; ZEN Leibn. Marg. 38) # Folio 301, page id 778263916:0317 # Original at the GWLB: https://digitale-sammlungen.gwlb.de/resolve?id=778263916&page=317 # Source image: https://digitale-sammlungen.gwlb.de/content/778263916/jpgs/default/00000317.jpg # Model: FoNDUE-GD_v2_ft_Leibniz, run 74, 2026-09-06T16:05:13Z — 56 lines, status machine # Lines: 56 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. Maxims. ring. Torce the alsent, and carry with them an equal, it not greater clear. ness, than chose mathematical AZiOmS. 6. 7. Fourthly, AStO real Existence, lince that has no connexion ritt anr otter ot our Ideas, but that ot our selves, and ot a tirct Beino, WVe. have inthat, concernins the real existence oFall orher Beivgs, nor (o much as de- monstratire, much less a selP evident Knomledse: And theretore concera ning chole there are no Maxims, 5. 8. In the next place let us consider, what inftuence ibose received Maxims have, upon the other parts of our Anouleare. The Rules ectabli- Medin the Schiools, that all Realoninss are expraecoenitis, (5 pracnces sis, Ccem to lay the toundation oF all other Hnomledoe, in thele Maxims, 2ud eo suxpose them. eo be praecoenita; Whereby, I thinke, is meane those trochinss: First, That these Axioms, are thole TrutHs thar are fiest knomnto the Mincs and, sccondlY, Thatupon them, che other parts ot our Rnomledse depend. 6. 9. First, THat theY are HOEthe Fruths sirst knoin tothe Mind, is evident to Experience. Who perccives not, that a Child certainly Knos, Fhat a Stranger is not its Nother; that its Sueking. Botelo is not the ROd, lons belore he lenors, hat ris impossible for thesame thine to be, and not 1o Be: Andhormans Fruthsare there abour Numbers, which it is obvious to obserre, that ehie Mind is pertectls acquainted with, andully convinced osbelore it ever thoughe on thele general Maxims, to which Mathema- ticians, in their arguines, do sometimes reter them: Whereol the rea- son is verr plain: For chat wrtieh matces the Mind assent to such Propo- Stions, Deins nothins else but the perception it has of the agrecment, or dilaercement oP its Ideas, accordins as ir sinds them astirmed ox denied one of another, in Words it understands; and everr Ldeabeins Hnorn 1o be whar it is, and cvery trro distinet Ideas nor to be lame, it must ne- celsarily follo, that such selFevident Truchs, nust besirst Hnown, whicli consistot Ideas that are Airst in the Mind: and the Ideas tirst in theMinc, eis evident, are chole of particuliar Thinss, trom irhence, by Por de Frees, che Inderctandins proceods to lome ferr general ones; Which be- ins takcen trom the ordinary and familiar Objects of Sense, are serled in the Nind, wich seneral Namestothem. Thus particular Ideas are Airst received and distinguithed, and (0 Rnowledse goc about them: and next tothem, the lels general, or specitick, Wrhich are next to particular. For abstract Ideas are nor (o obrious or easre to Children, or the vet unexer. ciled Mind, as particular ones. IEthes scem lo togroon Men, ris onty because by constant and tamiliar ule ther are made (o: For wrhen vo necels refect upon them, We Mall And, that general Ideas are Fictions and Contrivances ofthe Mind, thac carry difficulty wich them, and do not (0 casily otter themselres, as re are apt to imagine. For example, Doesit nor require lomo pains and sirill to form thc general Idea et a Frianole, (Wtrich. is yet none of the most abstract, comprehentive, and difficule,) For it must be neither Oblique, nor Rectanole, neither Rquila- teral, Equicrural, nor Scalenon; but all and none ot thele at once. In effect, it is Comething impertect, that cannor exist; an Ldea Wherein some Parrs oF several difterent and inconsiltene ldeas are put together. Fis erue, the Mind inthis imperfect cate, has necd oF such Ldeas, and maties all the haste to them ir can, for the conveniener of Comunication, and Enlarsement ofRnoledso; to boch wrhich, it is naturally very muctr enclined: BUE VeF One haS reaCOn to susPeCt SuCM Ldeas are maxHS OF OUr Imperfection; ae least, this is enouch ro ter, thac the most abstract and generat ideas, arc not thole chac ihie Mind is tiest and most easils 26quain.