But in philosophical inquiries and debates, where
general truths are to be established, and consequences drawn from
positions laid down, there the precise signification of the names of
substances will be found not only not to be well established, but also
very hard to be so. For example: he that shall make malleability, or a
certain degree of fixedness, a part of his complex idea of gold, may
make propositions concerning gold, and draw consequences from them,
that will truly and clearly follow from gold, taken in such a
signification: but yet such as another man can never be forced to
admit, nor be convinced of their truth, who makes not malleableness,
or the same degree of fixedness, part of that complex idea that the
name gold, in his use of it, stands for.
16. Instance, liquor. This is a natural and almost unavoidable
imperfection in almost all the names of substances, in all languages
whatsoever, which men will easily find when, once passing from
confused or loose notions, they come to more strict and close
inquiries. For then they will be convinced how doubtful and obscure
those words are in their signification, which in ordinary use appeared
very clear and determined. I was once in a meeting of very learned and
ingenious physicians, where by chance there arose a question,
whether any liquor passed through the filaments of the nerves.
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