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CHA P. II.

Of the signification of words. SECT.

1. Words are sensible signs necessary for communication.

2, 3. Words are the sensible
signs of his ideas who uses
them.

4. Words often secretly re-
ferred, First, to the ideas
in other men's minds.
5. Secondly, To the reality
of things.

6. Words by use readily ex-
cite ideas.

7. Words often used without signification.

8. Their signification perfectly arbitrary,

1. The greatest part of words general.

2. For every particular thing to have a name, is impossible.

3, 4. And useless.

5. What things have proper

names.

6-8. How general words are made.

9. General natures are nothing but abstract ideas. 10. Why the genus is ordinarily made use of in defini.

tions.

11. General and universal are creatures of the understanding.

12. Abstract ideas are the essences of the genera and species. 13. They are the workmanship of the understanding, but have their foundation in the similitude of things. 14. Each distinct abstract idea

is a distinct essence. 15. Real and nominal essence. 16. Constant connexion be

tween the name and nominal essence. 17. Supposition, that species are distinguished by their real essences, useless.

18. Real

18. Real and nominal essence

the same in simple ideas and modes, different in substances.

19. Essences ingenerable and incorruptible.

20. Recapitulation.

CHA P. IV.

Of the names of simple ideas. SECT.

1. Names of simple ideas,
modes, and substances,
have each something pe-
culiar.

2. First, Names of simple
ideas and substances, inti-
mate real existence.
3. Secondly, Names of sim-
ple ideas and modes sig-
nify always both real and
nominal essence.
4. Thirdly, Names of sim-
ple ideas undefinable.
5. If all were definable, it

would be a process in infi-
nitum.

6. What a definition is.

7. Simple ideas, why undefinable.

8, 9. Instances, motion.

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CHAP. V.

Of the names of mixed modes and relations.

SECT.

1. They stand for abstract ideas as other general

names.

2. First, The ideas they stand
for are made by the under.
standing.

3. Secondly, made arbitra-
rily, and without patterns.
4. How this is done.
5. Evidently arbitrary, in
that the idea is often be-
fore the existence.
6. Instances, murther, incest,
stabbing.

7. But still subservient to
the end of language.
8. Whereof the intranflata-
ble words of divers lan-
guages, are a proof.
9. This shows species to be

made for communication. 10. 11. In mixed modes, it is the name that ties the combination together, and makes it a species.

12. For the originals of mixed modes, we look no farther than the mind, which also shows them to be the workmanship of the understanding.

13. Their being made by the understanding without patterns, shows the reason why they are so compounded.

14. Names of mixed modes stand always for their real

essences.

15. Why their names are usu ally got before their ideas. 16. Reason of my being sa large on this subject.

CHAP.

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5. Instance in But. 6. This matter but lightly touched here.

CHA P. VIII.

Of abstract and concrete terms. SECT.

1. Abstract terms not predicable one of another, and why.

2. They show the difference of our ideas.

CHAP. IX.

Of the imperfection of words. SECT.

1. Words are used for recording and communicating our thoughts.

2. Any words will serve for
recording.

3. Communication by words,
civil or philosophical.
4. The imperfection of words,
is the doubtfulness of
their signification.

5. Causes of their imperfec

tion.

6. The names of mixed modes

doubtful: first, because the ideas they stand for, are so complex. 7. Secondly, because they have no standards.

8. Propriety not a sufficient remedy.

9. The way of learning

these names contributes also to their doubtfulness. 10. Hence unavoidable obscu

rity in ancient authors. 11. Names of substances, of

doubtful signification. 12. Names of substances re. ferred, first, to real essences, that cannot be known. 13. 14. Secondly, to co-existing

qualities, which are known but imperfectly. 15. With this imperfection. they may serve for civil, but not well for philosophical use.

16. Instance, liquor of the

nerves.

17. Instance, gold.

18. The names of simple ideas, the least doubtful.

19. And next to them, simple modes.

20. The most doubtful, are the names of very compounded mixed modes and substances.

21. Why this imperfection charged upon words.

22, 23. This should teach us moderation in imposing our own sense of old authors.

СНАР. Х.

Of the abuse of words.

SECT.

1. Abuse of words. 2, 3. First, words without any, or without clear ideas. 4. Occasioned by learning names, before the ideas they belong to. 5. Secondly, a steady appli cation of them. 6. Thirdly, affected obscurity, by wrong application.

7. Logic and dispute have much contributed to this. 8. Calling it subtilty. 9. This learning very little benefits society. 10. But destroys the instru

ments of knowledge and communication.

11. As useful as to confound the sound of the letters. 12. This

12. This art has perplexed re

ligion and justice. 13. And ought not to pass for learning.

14. Fourthly, taking them for
things.

15. Instance in matter.
16. This makes errours last-
ing.

17. Fifthly, setting them for
what they cannot signify.
18. V. g. putting them for
the real essences of sub-
stances.

19. Hence we think every change of our idea in substances, not to change the species.

20, The cause of this abuse, a supposition of nature's working always regularly. 21. This abuse contains two false suppositions. 22. Sixthly, a supposition that

words have a certain and evident signification. 23. The ends of language: first, to convey our ideas. 24. Secondly, to do it with quickness.

25. Thirdly, therewith to convey the knowledge of things. 26-31. How men's words fail in all these.

32. How in substances.
33. How in modes and rela-

tions.

34.Seventhly, figurative speech also an abuse of language.

CHAP. XI. Of the remedies of the foregoing imperfections and abuses.

SECT.

1. They are worth seeking,

2. Are not easy.

3. But yet necessary to phi losophy.

4. Misuse of words, the cause of great errours. 5. Obstinacy. 6. And wrangling.

7. Instance, bat and bird. 8. First remedy, to use no

word without an idea. 9. Secondly, to have distinct ideas annexed to them in modes.

10. And distinct and conformable in substances. 11. Thirdly, propriety. 12. Fourthly, to make known their meaning. 13. And that three ways. 14. First, in simple ideas by synonimous terms, showing.

or

15. Secondly, in mixed modes by definition.

16. Morality capable of demonstration.

17. Definitions can make moral discourses clear.

18. And is the only way. 19. Thirdly, in substances, by showing and defining. 20, 21. Ideas of the leading qualities of substances, are best got by showing. 22. The ideas of their powers, best by definition.

23, A reflection on the know.
ledge of spirits.
24. Ideas also of substances
must be conformable to
things.
Not

easy

25. to be made so. 26. Fifthly, by constancy in

their signification.

27. When the variation is to be explained.

BOOK

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