For as to the operations of spirits,
both their thinking and moving of bodies, we at first sight find
ourselves at a loss; though perhaps, when we have applied our thoughts
a little nearer to the consideration of bodies and their operations,
and examined how far our notions, even in these, reach with any
clearness beyond sensible matter of fact, we shall be bound to confess
that, even in these too, our discoveries amount to very little
beyond perfect ignorance and incapacity.
15. Whilst our complex ideas of substances contain not ideas of
their real constitutions, we can make but few general certain
propositions concerning them. This is evident, the abstract complex
ideas of substances. for which their general names stand, not
comprehending their real constitutions, can afford us very little
universal certainty. Because our ideas of them are not made up of that
on which those qualities we observe in them, and would inform
ourselves about, do depend, or with which they have any certain
connexion: v.g. let the ideas to which we give the name man be, as
it commonly is, a body of the ordinary shape, with sense, voluntary
motion, and reason joined to it. This being the abstract idea, and
consequently the essence of our species, man, we can make but very few
general certain propositions concerning man, standing for such an
idea.
Pages:
863
864
865
866
867
868
869
870
871
872
873
874
875
876
877
878
879
880
881
882
883
884
885
886
887