Words. APHORISM LIX. Idols of the 22. But none are fo troublesome as the Idols of the Market; which Market, from infinuate themfelves into the Mind, from the Affociation of Words and Terms. For tho' Men believe that their Reafon governs Words; it alfo happens, that Words retort, and reflect their Force upon the Understanding whence Philofophy and the Sciences have been render'd fophiftical, and unactive. Words are generally impofed according to vulgar Conceptions; and divide Things by Lines" that are most apparent to the Understanding of the Multitude: And when a more acute Understanding, or a more careful Obfervation, would remove thefe Lines, to place them according to Nature; Words cry out, and forbid it. And hence it happens, that great ad ferious Difputes of learned Men, frequently terminate in Controverfies about Words and Terms: which it were better to begin with, according to the prudent Method of the Mathematicians, and reduce them to Order by Definitions. But in natural and material Things, even thefe Definitions cannot remedy the Evil; becaufe Definitions themfelves confift of Words; and Words generate Words: fo that, of neceffity, recourfe must be had to particular Inftances, their Series, and Orders; as we fhall fhew, when we come to the Manner of raising Notions, and Axioms °. Are of two kinds; viz. Names of Things not exifting. And Words APHORISM LX. 23. The Idols which Words impofe upon the Understanding, are of two Kinds; as being either the Names of Things that have no Existence; or the Names of Things that do exift; but Names confufed, ill defined, and rafhly and irregularly abstracted from Things. Of the former Kind are fuch as Fortune, the Primum Mobile, the Orbs of the Planets, the Element of Fire, and the like Figments; which arife from imaginary and false Theories. For as there are Things that, thro' want of being obferved, remain without Names; fo there are Names coined upon phantaftical Conceits, and have no Things correfponding to them. Idols of this Kind are diflodged by a conftant rejection and repeal of Theories, and phantaftical Notions P. 24. But the other Kind, raised by a wrong and unfkilful Abstraction, wrong form'd is intricate and deep rooted. For Example: let us choofe any Word, from Things. as the word Moisture, for inftance, to try how far the Things agree which are fignified by it; and we fhall find it no other than a confufed Mark of n Differences, or Diftinctions. • See Part II. Sect. I. See alfo the de Augment. Scient. Sect. XV. and XVII. P See Mr. Locke's Effay upon Human Un derftanding, Chap. of Words, See alfo hereafter, Aph. 64, &c. of different Actions, that are inconftant and irreducible to one another. For Moisture fignifies, (1.) that which can eafily diffuse itself round another Body; (2.) that which is indeterminable of itfelf, and cannot fix; (3.) that which yields eafily every way; (4.) that which readily divides, and scatters itself; (5.) that which eafily unites with itself, and collects together; (6.) that which eafily flows, and is eafily put in Motion; (7.) that which readily fticks to another Body, and wets it; (8.) that which is eafily melted, or reduced from a Solid to a Liquid. And therefore, when this Term comes to be published and impofed; with an Exception of fome of the Significations, Flame will be moift; with the Exception of others, Air is not moift; and, again, with fome other Exceptions, fine Powders and Glafs are moift. Whence it easily appears that this Notion is inconfiderately taken from Water only, and fome other common and obvious Liquors; and not duly verified a. 25 There are alfo certain Degrees of Error and Depravity in Words. Depravities in The leaft faulty Kind, is that of the Names of Substances; efpecially the Words. lower Species, which are well deduced; for the Notions of Chalk and : Clay are just but the Notion of Earth inadequate. The Tribe of Actions is more faulty; fuch as Generation, Corruption, and Alteration: but the Notions of Qualities, except the immediate Objects of Sense, are the most depraved; as, Gravity, Levity, Tenuity, Denfity, &c. Yet fome of thefe Notions muft, of neceffity, be jufter than others, in all the Kinds; according to the Number of Inftances that have fallen under the Senses ". APHORISM LXI. 26. But for the Idols of the Theatre, they are neither innate, nor fe- Idols of the cretly infinuated into the Understanding; but plainly palm'd upon it; Theatre palm'd and received from fabulous Theories, and the perverted Laws of Demon- upon the Mind. ftration. To undertake a Confutation of thefe, is by no means congruous with what we have already advanced': for where neither Principles nor Demonftrations are agreed upon, there can be no arguing. And this happens fortunately, to leave the Ancients poffefs'd of their Glory we can detract nothing from them; whilft the Question is only concerning the Way. And a Cripple in the right Way may beat a Racer in the wrong one. Nay, the fleeter and better the Racer is, who has once mifs'd A Language formed and verified after the manner here indicated, is greatly wanting in Philofophy; and perhaps cannot be compleated, till Philofophy itself is perfected. Whence it is plain, that a just Language cannot be formed without a competent Know. ledge of Philofophy. See above, Aph. 35. The Author is extremely apprehenfive of being fufpected to rival the Ancients; which Apprehenfion, if he had not well guarded against it, might have prejudiced his whole Design: as indeed it in fome measure did; and ftill continues to do with many. miss'd his Way; the farther he leaves it behind. Our Method, however, of difcovering the Sciences, does not much depend upon Subtilty, and Strength of Genius; but lies level to almost every Capacity, and Underftanding. For, as it requires great Steadiness and Exercife of the Hand to draw a true ftrait Line, or a Circle, by the Hand alone; but little or no Practice, with the Affiftance of a Ruler, or Compaffes: fo it is with our Method. And altho' there be here no ufe of particular Confutations; yet fome Notice must be taken (1.) of the Sects and Sorts of thefe Theories; (2.) the falfe Colours thereof; (3) the Caufes of so great an Infelicity; and (4.) the Caufes of fo lafting and general a Confent in Error; and all this, that the Paffage to Truth may be made the easier; and the Understanding the more difpofed to cleanfe itfelf, and put away its Idols ". "Dr. Hooke has familiarized and illustrated fome Part of this Doctrine of Idols, in his General Scheme, or Idea, of the prefent State of Natural Philofophy. See Hooke's Pofthumous Works, P. 7---11. Theories, whence, and APHORISM LXII. I. "HE Idols of the Theatre, or Theories, are many; and will probably grow much more numerous : for if Men had not, thro' many bow fupprefs'd. Ages, been prepoffeffed with Religion and Theology; and if civil Governments, but particularly Monarchies, had not been averfe to Innovations of this kind, tho' but intended; fo as to make it dangerous and prejudicial to the private Fortunes of fuch as take the Bent of Innovating; not only by depriving them of Advantages, but also by expofing them to Contempt and Hatred; there would, doubtlefs, have been numerous other Sects of Philofophies and Theories introduced; of w The Number of them has been great; even fince this Piece was wrote. kin kin, to thofe that, in great Variety, formerly flourished among the Greeks. And thefe theatrical Fables have this in common with dramatical Pieces; that the fictitious Narrative is neater, more elegant and pleafing, than the true Hiftory". 2. In general, Philofophy receives much Matter from a few Particu- The Origin of lars; or elfe but little from many fo that, in both Cafes, it is founded Errors, on too narrow a Bafis of Experience, and Natural History; and pronounces from too little Knowledge". 3. (1.) The rational Tribe of Philofophers haftily take up vulgar Things from Experience, without finding them to be certain; or carefully examining and weighing them: and commit all the reft of the Work to Thought, and the Difcuffion of the Wit". 4. (2.) Another Kind of Philofophers labour, with great Diligence and Accuracy, in a few Experiments; and thence venture to deduce and build up Philofophies: and strangely wreft every thing elfe to these Experiments. 5. (3.) Laftly, there is a Kind of fuch as mix Theology, and Traditions of Faith and Worship, with their Philofophy; and the Vanity of fome among them has turn'd afide, to derive the Sciences from Spirits and Angels: fo that the Origin of Errors, and false Philosophy, is of three Kinds; viz. (1.) Sophistical; (2.) Empirical; and (3.) Superftitious. APHORISM LXIII. Ariftotle. 6. We have an eminent Example of the first Kind in Ariftotle; who Among the racorrupted Natural Philofopy with his Logic; in forming the World of Ca- tional Philofotegories, or Predicaments; paffing over the Bufinefs of Rarifaction and phers; viz. Condenfation, with the jejune Diftinction of Art and Power; afferting but one proper Motion to all Bodies; and impofing numerous other Fictions, at his own Pleasure, upon the Nature of Things: being all along more follicitous how Men might defend themfelves by Anfwers, and advance fomething that fhould be pofitive in Words; than to come at the inward Truth of Nature. This will appear to the full, by comparing the Philofophy of Ariftotle with the other Philofophies, that were y Thus the Cartefian Philofophy is more agreeable to read, than the Newtonian. z Commonly in the way of the vulgar Induction above-mention'd, Aph. 17. a See more of this below, Aph. 63. See below, Aph. 64. Thus, in particular, Chemistry and Natural Magick, have been thought derived from Angels and Spirits. See below, Aph. 65. • As our Education in Europe is chiefly Ariftotelian ; we should have a strict Watch upon our felves in all Philofophical Enquiries, Writings, and Difcourfes; that we are not led away with Ariftotelian Notions. It fhould feem as if all our common Reasoning was infected with Ariftotelian Prej dices; fo as to be affectedly logical and captious, rather than juft and philofophical; or formed upon the true Nature of Things. See hereafter, Aph. 77. VOL. II. A a a celebrated The Empirical celebrated among the Greeks. For the Homoiomera of Anaxagoras, the Atoms of Leucippus and Democritus, the Heaven and Earth of Parmenides, the Enmity and Amity of Empedocles, the Refolution of Bodies into the neutral Nature of Fire, with their Return to Denfity, according to Heraclitus; all favour fomewhat of Natural Philofophy, and Experience: whereas both the Phyfics, and Metaphyfics, of Ariftotle, fpeak little more than logical Terms. 'Tis true, his Books of Animals, Problems, and other Pieces, make frequent Ufe of Experiments; but then he had first pronounced without their Affiftance; and did not duly confult Experience in forming his Decrees and Axioms: but after he had paffed Judgment according to his own Humour; he winds Experience round, and leads her captive to his Opinions. And, upon this Account, he is more culpable than his modern Followers, the fcholaftic Philofophers, who meddled not with Experience at all f. APHORISM LXIV. 7. But the Empirical Philofophy produces Opinions more deform'd and monstrous, than either the fophiftical or the rational; as not being founded in the Light of vulgar Notions; (which, tho' fiender and fuperficial, is yet in fome fort univerfal) but refts in the narrow Confines and Obfcurity of a few Experiments. Whence fuch a Philofophy appears probable, and in a manner certain, to the Men who daily converfe with these Experiments; and thereby deprave their Imagination: whilft to all others it feems incredible and vain. We have a notable Example hereof in the Chemists, and their Doctrines; tho' the like, at this Time, perhaps, is not to be found, unless in Gilbert's Philofophy. Yet the Caution, with regard to thefe Philofophies, fhould by no means be pafs'd over; becaufe we forefee, and venture to foretel, that if Mankind, being admonifh'd by us, fhall at length, in earneft, betake themfelves to Experience; and lay afide fophiftical Doctrines; even then, thro' an over eager, and precipitant Hurry of the Understanding; and the Defire it has of bounding or flying to Generals, and firft Principles; there will be great Danger from thefe narrow Philofophies: which is an Evil we ought to remedy. f For a farther Account of Ariftotle, fee p. 52. of this Volume. APHORISM That is, give it a Bent fome one particular way; as we fee in those who have long applied them felves to a certain Trade; the Discovery of the Longitude; the making of Gold; the writing certain Book; or the profecuting any one Set of Experiments: for thus, without a prudent Change and Intermixture of Studies, and Employments, the Mind will be warped; and ftrangely draw foreign Things to fome Confent with thofe under Confideration; or clse neglect and overlook whatever does not immediately regard the prefent View. Thus, tho' there is always fome one reigning or general Philofophy; yet almost every Enquirer into Nature has a particular leffer Syttem, form'd upon his own Experience. This appears remarkably in the Members of the Royal Academy of Sciences at Paris, &c. i Regard is had thereto through the whole Courfe of the Work. |