If those who blame my calling them trifling propositions had but
read and been at the pains to understand what I have above writ in
very plain English, they could not but have seen that by identical
propositions I mean only such wherein the same term, importing the
same idea, is affirmed of itself: which I take to be the proper
signification of identical propositions; and concerning all such, I
think I may continue safely to say, that to propose them as
instructive is no better than trifling. For no one who has the use
of reason can miss them, where it is necessary they should be taken
notice of; nor doubt of their truth when he does take notice of them.
But if men will call propositions identical, wherein the same term
is not affirmed of itself, whether they speak more properly than I,
others must judge; this is certain, all that they say of
propositions that are not identical in my sense, concerns not me nor
what I have said; all that I have said relating to those
propositions wherein the same term is affirmed of itself. And I
would fain see an instance wherein any such can be made use of, to the
advantage and improvement of any one's knowledge. Instances of other
kinds, whatever use may be made of them, concern not me, as not
being such as I call identical.
4. II. Secondly, propositions in which a part of any complex idea is
predicated of the whole.
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