Writers of Optics mistaken in their principles both in judging of magnitudes and distances.
I.
'Tis evident yt wn the solitary man should be taught to speak, the words would give him no other new ideas (save only the sounds, and complex ideas which, tho' unknown before, may be signified by language) beside wt he had before. If he had not, could not have, an abstract idea before, he cannot have it after he is taught to speak.
Mo.
“Homo est homo,” &c. comes at last to Petrus est Petrus, &c. Now, if these identical propositions are sought after in the mind, they will not be found. There are no identical mental propositions. 'Tis all about sounds and terms.
Mo.
Hence we see the doctrine of certainty by ideas, and proving by intermediate ideas, comes to nothing[152].
Mo.