Burnet, Thomas (c.1635-1715)

Second Remarks upon an Essay Concerning Humane Understanding, In a Letter Address'd to the Author Being a Vindication of the First Remarks, Against the Answer of Mr. Lock, At the End of His Reply to the Lord Bishop of Worcester.

London

Printed for M. Wotton, [etc.]

1697

Locke's readers are "led into a Wood of Idea's ... and there they are lost; pleasantly indeed, amongst Lights and Shades, and many pretty Landskips"

I am apt to believe, many of your Readers, if not the generality, do not so far understand your Principles, as to see what Consequences they draw after them; and possibly you did not reflect upon it your self. Your Readers may easily be amus'd in a Mulititude of Names and Notions, and Signs of Notions: They're led into a Wood of Idea's (Simple and Complex, and Complex-collective; Absolute, Relative, Real, or Phantastical, &c.) and there they are lost; pleasantly indeed, amongst Lights and Shades, and many pretty Landskips; but they know not where they are, no see to the end of the Wood. You know what Philosophers (Ancient or Modern) your Principles are said to imitate; but I do not desire to make use of Nmaes, one wya or other, but to argue every thing fairly and upon the square, as far as Reason will go. [...]
(pp. 12-3)

Geography::Forest

Reading Burnet's three Remarks

Burnet, Thomas; Locke, John, and Porter, Noah. Remarks Upon an Essay Concerning Humane Understanding: Five Tracts. Garland Publishing, Inc. New York and London, 1984.

Lockean Philosophy

03/15/2005

04/26/2007