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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.

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2.

Chapter II No Innate Practical Principles

1. No moral principles so clear and so generally received as the forementioned speculative maxims.

2. Faith and justice not owned as principles by all men.

3. Objection: "though men deny them in their practice, yet they admit them in their thoughts," answered.

4. Moral rules need a proof, ergo not innate.

5. Instance in keeping compacts.

6. Virtue generally approved, not because innate, but because profitable.

7. Men's actions convince us that the rule of virtue is not their internal principle.

8. Conscience no proof of any innate moral rule.

9. Instances of enormities practised without remorse.

10. Men have contrary practical principles.

11. Whole nations reject several moral rules.

12. The generally allowed breach of a rule, proof that it is not innate.

13. If men can be ignorant of what is innate, certainty is not described by innate principles.

14. Those who maintain innate practical principles tell us not what they are.

15. Lord Herbert's innate principles examined.

16. These five either not all, or more than all, if there are any.

17. The supposed marks wanting.

18. Of little use if they were innate.

19. Scarce possible that God should engrave principles in words of uncertain meaning.

20. Objection, "innate principles may be corrupted," answered.

21. Contrary principles in the world.

22. How men commonly come by their principles.

23. Principles supposed innate because we do not remember when we began to hold them.

24. How such principles come to be held.

25. Further explained.

26. A worship of idols.

27. Principles must be examined.

3.

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

2.

Book II Of Ideas

3.

Book III Of Words

4.

Book IV Of Knowledge and Probability

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13. These three laws the rules of moral good and evil.

These three then, first, the law of God; secondly, the law of politic societies; thirdly, the law of fashion, or private censure, are those to which men variously compare their actions: and it is by their conformity to one of these laws that they take their measures, when they would judge of their moral rectitude, and denominate their actions good or bad.