Sergeant, John (1622-1707)

Non Ultra, or, A Letter to a Learned Cartesian Settling the Rule of Truth, and First Principles, Upon their Deepest Ground

London

Printed for A. Roper

1698

"Our own Thoughts, and those of others, do, in all our Conversations, use to come to us, clad in Words: Whence it happens, that 'tis very hard, liquidly and clearly to strip the Sense from those Words; and to consider It, and nothing but It."

25. How pretty a Delusive Faculty is this Fancy of ours! and, how apt, if we be not aware, to decoy us, every Step, into Errour, by Customary Appearances; which, by striking often upon it, would fool our Reason! Our own Thoughts, and those of others, do, in all our Conversations, use to come to us, clad in Words: Whence it happens, that 'tis very hard, liquidly and clearly to strip the Sense from those Words; and to consider It, and nothing but It. If a Man says, [Every Thing is Distinct from all other Things,] none is apt to smile at him, or impute it as Ridiculous, or Foolish: But, if he says, [A Thing is its self,] Witty Men can scarce contain their Iest at such an Idle Proposition: And yet they are, most evidently, the self-same in Sense; for, that which is Distinct from all others, must either be its Self, or Nothing; and, the taking away all Distinction, does, almost in Terms, at least, most formally, and necessarily, put Identity. Let us take another Instance: If one says, [A Whole is more than a Part,] it appears to such Men, wondrous Wise; and, none blames him, in the least, that says it, or lays it for a Principle. But, if he says, and puts for a Principle, [What's more than a Part, is more than a Part,] it is good Luck if they do not think he deserves Midas's Ears. Yet, both of these Propositions are the self-same, and both of them equally, and most perfectly Identical in Sense; and only differ in the Manner of Expression. Which I thus shew: A Whole consists of its Parts; and, since every Thing is that of which it consists, A Whole is its Parts. But, the Word [Parts,] being Plural, signifies more than One Part; Wherefore, [A Whole is more than a Part,] is the same as to say, [What's more than a Part, is more than a Part;] which is as perfectly Identical, as can be imagin'd. Nay, more; If we regard it well, we shall find, that the former Proposition had not been known, Speculatively, to be Self-evident, nor could have been made out to be such, but because it is the same with this later, whose Terms are most formally Identical; to which, the other is easily reduc'd.
(pp. 49-51)

Dress

Reading

John Sergeant, Non Ultra, or, A Letter to a Learned Cartesian Settling the Rule of Truth, and First Principles, Upon their Deepest Ground (London: Printed for A. Roper, 1698). <Link to EEBO-TCP>

04/02/2013