Though the examining
and judging of ideas by themselves, their names being quite laid
aside, be the best and surest way to clear and distinct knowledge:
yet, through the prevailing custom of using sounds for ideas, I
think it is very seldom practised. Every one may observe how common it
is for names to be made use of, instead of the ideas themselves,
even when men think and reason within their own breasts; especially if
the ideas be very complex, and made up of a great collection of simple
ones. This makes the consideration of words and propositions so
necessary a part of the Treatise of Knowledge, that it is very hard to
speak intelligibly of the one, without explaining the other.
2. General truths hardly to be understood, but in verbal
propositions. All the knowledge we have, being only of particular or
general truths, it is evident that whatever may be done in the
former of these, the latter, which is that which with reason is most
sought after, can never be well made known, and is very seldom
apprehended, but as conceived and expressed in words. It is not,
therefore, out of our way, in the examination of our knowledge, to
inquire into the truth and certainty of universal propositions.
3. Certainty twofold- of truth and of knowledge. But that we may not
be misled in this case by that which is the danger everywhere, I
mean by the doubtfulness of terms, it is fit to observe that certainty
is twofold: certainty of truth and certainty of knowledge.
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