Another reason that makes the defining of mixed modes so
necessary, especially of moral words, is what I mentioned a little
before, viz. that it is the only way whereby the signification of
the most of them can be known with certainty. For the ideas they stand
for, being for the most part such whose component parts nowhere
exist together, but scattered and mingled with others, it is the
mind alone that collects them, and gives them the union of one idea:
and it is only by words enumerating the several simple ideas which the
mind has united, that we can make known to others what their names
stand for; the assistance of the senses in this case not helping us,
by the proposal of sensible objects, to show the ideas which our names
of this kind stand for, as it does often in the names of sensible
simple ideas, and also to some degree in those of substances.
19. III. In substances, both by showing and by defining. Thirdly,
for the explaining the signification of the names of substances, as
they stand for the ideas we have of their distinct species, both the
forementioned ways, viz. of showing and defining, are requisite, in
many cases, to be made use of. For, there being ordinarily in each
sort some leading qualities, to which we suppose the other ideas which
make up our complex idea of that species annexed, we forwardly give
the specific name to that thing wherein that characteristical mark
is found, which we take to be the most distinguishing idea of that
species.
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