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An essay concerning human understanding

To The Right Honourable Lord Thomas,

Epistle to the Reader

Introduction An Essay Concerning Human Understanding

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1.

Book I Neither Principles Nor Ideas Are Innate

1.

Chapter I No Innate Speculative Principles.

2.

Chapter II No Innate Practical Principles

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3.

Chapter III Other considerations concerning Innate Principles, both Speculative and Practical

1. Principles not innate, unless their ideas be innate.

2. Ideas, especially those belonging to principles, not born with children.

3. "Impossibility" and "identity" not innate ideas.

4. "Identity," an idea not innate.

5. What makes the same man?

6. Whole and part, not innate ideas.

7. Idea of worship not innate.

8. Idea of God not innate.

9. The name of God not universal or obscure in meaning.

10. Ideas of God and idea of fire.

11. Idea of God not innate.

12. Suitable to God's goodness, that all men should have an idea of Him, therefore naturally imprinted by Him, answered.

13. Ideas of God various in different men.

14. Contrary and inconsistent ideas of God under the same name.

15. Gross ideas of God.

16. Idea of God not innate although wise men of all nations come to have it.

17. Odd, low, and pitiful ideas of God common among men.

18. If the idea of God be not innate, no other can be supposed innate.

19. Idea of substance not innate.

20. No propositions can be innate, since no ideas are innate.

21. No innate ideas in the memory.

22. Principles not innate, because of little use or little certainty.

23. Difference of men's discoveries depends upon the different application of their faculties.

24. Men must think and know for themselves.

25. Whence the opinion of innate principles.

26. Conclusion.

2.

Book II Of Ideas

3.

Book III Of Words

4.

Book IV Of Knowledge and Probability

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17. Another instance.

Secondly, Another that hath gone further in framing and collecting the idea he calls man, and to the outward shape adds laughter and rational discourse, may demonstrate that infants and changelings are no men, by this maxim, it is impossible for the same thing to he and not to be; and I have discoursed with very rational men, who have actually denied that they are men.