Index for Chapter I - No Innate Speculative Principles
- 1. The way shown how we come by any knowledge, sufficient to prove
it not innate.
- 2. General assent the great argument.
- 3. Universal consent proves nothing innate.
- 4. "What is, is," and "It is impossible for the same thing to be and
not to be," not universally assented to.
- 5. Not on the mind naturally imprinted, because not known to
children, idiots, &c.
- 6. That men know them when they come to the use of reason, answered.
- 7. Doubtful expressions, that have scarce any signification, go
for clear reasons to those who, being prepossessed, take not the pains
to examine even what they themselves say.
- 8. If reason discovered them, that would not prove them innate.
- 9. It is false that reason discovers them.
- 10. No use made of reasoning in the discovery of these two maxims.
- 11. And if there were, this would prove them not innate.
- 12. The coming to the use of reason not the time we come to know
these maxims.
- 13. By this they are not distinguished from other knowable truths.
- 14. If coming to the use of reason were the time of their
discovery it would not prove them innate.
- 15. The steps by which the mind attains several truths.
- 16. Assent to supposed innate truths depends on having clear and
distinct ideas of what their terms mean, and not on their
innateness.
- 17. Assenting as soon as proposed and understood, proves them not
innate.
- 18. If such an assent be a mark of innate, then "that one and two
are equal to three, that sweetness is not bitterness," and a
thousand the like, must be innate.
- 19. Such less general propositions known before these universal
maxims.
- 20. "One and one equal to Two, &c.
- 21. These maxims not being known sometimes till proposed, proves
them not innate.
- 22. Implicitly known before proposing, signifies that the mind is
capable of understanding them, or else signifies nothing.
- 23. The argument of assenting on first hearing, is upon a false
supposition of no precedent teaching.
- 24. Not innate, because not universally assented to.
- 25. These maxims not the first known.
- 26. And so not innate.
- 27. Not innate, because they appear least where what is innate shows
itself clearest.
- 28. Recapitulation.
R.
© Roger Bishop Jones
created 29/10/94; modified 4/12/95