登陆注册
5174400000027

第27章 Partiality(1)

This partiality,where it is not permitted an authority to render all other studies insignificant or contemptible,is often indulged so far as to be relied upon and made use of in other parts of knowledge to which it does not at all belong and wherewith it has no manner of affinity.

Some men have so used their heads to mathematical figures that,giving a preference to the methods of that science,they introduce lines and diagrams into their studies of divinity or politic[al]enquiries,as if nothing could be known without them;and others,accustomed to retired speculations,run natural philosophy into metaphysical notions and the abstract generalities of logic;and how often may one meet with religion and morality treated of in the terms of the laboratory and thought to be improved by the methods and notations of chemistry.

But he that will take care of the conduct of his understanding to direct it right to the knowledge of things must avoid those undue mixtures and not,by a fondness for Chat he has found useful and necessary in one,transfer it to another science where it serves only to perplex and confound the understanding.

It is a certain truth that res nolunt male administration;it is no less certain res nolunt male intelligence.Things themselves are to be considered as they are in themselves,and then they still show us in what way they are to be understood.

For to have right conceptions about them we must bring our understandings to the inflexible natures and unalterable relations of things,and not endeavor to bring things to any preconceived notions of our own.

There is another partiality very commonly observable in men of study,no less prejudicial nor ridiculous than the former,and that is a fantastical and wild attributing all knowledge to the ancients alone or to the moderns.

This raving upon antiquity in matter of poetry Horace has wittily described and exposed in one of his satires.The same sort of madness may be found in reference to all the other sciences.Some will not admit an opinion not authorized by men of old,who were then all giants in knowledge;nothing is to be put into the treasury of truth or knowledge which has not the stamp of Greece or Rome upon it;and since their days will scarce allow that men have been able to see,think or write.Others,with a like extravagancy,contemn all that the ancients have left us and,being taken with the modern inventions and discoveries,lay by all that went before,as if whatever is called old must have the decay of time upon it and truth too were liable to mold and rottenness.Men,I think,have been much the same for natural endowments in all times.Fashion,discipline and education have put eminent differences in the ages of several countries and made one generation much differ from another in arts and sciences;but truth is always the same;time alters it not,nor is it the better or worse for being of ancient or modern tradition.Many were eminent in former ages of the world for their discovery and delivery of it;but though the knowledge they have left us be worth our study,yet they exhausted not all its treasure;they left a great deal for the industry and sagacity of after ages,and so shall we.

That was once new to them which anyone now receives with veneration for its antiquity;nor was it the worse for appearing as a novelty,and that Which is now embraced for its newness will,to posterity,be old but not thereby be less true or less genuine.

There is no occasion on this account to oppose the ancients and the moderns to one another or to be squeamish on either side.He that wisely conducts his mind in the pursuit of knowledge will gather what lights and get what helps he can from either of them,from whom they are best to be had,without adoring the errors or rejecting the truths which he may find mingled in them.

Another partiality may be observed,in some to vulgar,in others to heterodox tenets.Some are apt to conclude that what is the common opinion cannot but be true;so many men's eyes,they think,cannot but see right;so many men's understandings of all sorts cannot be deceived;and therefore [they]will not venture to look beyond the received notions of the place and age nor have so presumptuous a thought as to be wiser than their neighbors.They are content to go with the crowd,and so go easily,which they think is going right or at least serves them as well.But however Fox populi lox Dei has prevailed as a maxim,yet I do not remember wherever God delivered his oracles by the multitude or nature truths by the herd.On the other side,some fly all common opinions as either false or frivolous.

The title of many-headed beast is a sufficient reason to them to conclude that no truths of weight or consequence can be lodged there.vulgar opinions are suited to vulgar capacities and adapted to the ends of those that govern.He that is ill know the truth of things must leave the common and beaten tract,which none but weak and servile minds are satisfied to trudge along continually in.Such nice palates relish nothing but strange notions quite out of the flay;whatever is commonly received has the marl;of the beast on it,and they think it a lessening to them to hearken to it or receive it;their mind runs only after paradoxes;these they seek,these they embrace,these alone they vent,and so,as they think,distinguish themselves from the vulgar.But common or uncommon are not the marks to distinguish truth or falsehood and therefore should not be any bias to us in our enquiries.We should not judge of things by men's opinions,but of opinions by things.

同类推荐
  • 快园道古

    快园道古

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Yvette

    Yvette

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • ASTORIA

    ASTORIA

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 警世钟

    警世钟

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • The Little Lame Prince

    The Little Lame Prince

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 商战

    商战

    本书重点阐述了商战中的四种常用战略形式,如防御战、进攻战、侧翼战和游击战,针对每一种形式又提出了三条应遵循的原则,以及如何在具体的商战中应用这些原则。本书分析了商战中的实际案例:可口可乐与百事可乐的战役,汉堡王与温迪斯对麦当劳的挑战以及DEC对阵IBM等。这些人们熟知品牌的案例在作者精心的组织下,使读者不仅加深了对本书中心思想的理解,而且学习了如何在实战中具体应用各种营销战略和策略的技巧。
  • 仁王护国般若波罗蜜多经疏

    仁王护国般若波罗蜜多经疏

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 文殊师利问菩提经

    文殊师利问菩提经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 中国画的写意精神(中国艺术研究院学术文库)

    中国画的写意精神(中国艺术研究院学术文库)

    源于中国传统哲学与文化精神的中国画的写意精神,成为中国美术创作的精神源泉。本书以中国画的写意精神为题,旨在从审美情感与内在精神的层面全面阐述中国画的“写意精神”。全书内容包括了中国画的审美精神、中国画的艺术特征、以及有关意境、写意、形神的辩证关系等论文,对中国绘画目前的写意大家及其写意精神进行论述,指出中国画的写意精神涵盖了意境、传神、趣味、境界、意趣、写意等精神内涵。可以说中国画的写意精神是在“观物取象”的基础上,经过创作者的审美情感与内在精神的艺术加工,立意为象,以“渐悟”和“顿悟”的哲学之思,实现物与象,情、景与境的“天人合一”。
  • 遇见了你

    遇见了你

    如果遇见你是出于意外,爱上你却不再是意外。幸好我们还是遇上了,我的人生没有遗憾了……世界上有没有永不不失恋的方法?答案或者是永不恋爱。但是谁又愿意用这种方法来换取永不失恋呢?在没有爱上一个人的时候,她们可以独自勇敢地面对所有的困苦。从爱上一个人的那一刻起,就丧失了一个人生存的所有本能。
  • 公子太腹黑

    公子太腹黑

    前世,她身披嫁衣,却惨死轿中。重生,变身云莲宫娇女,却遭暗杀连连。身边男子人前俊逸风流,奈何背后后却各个腹黑如狐,害她苦不堪言。哼哼,小样敢拿我当枪使,我就把你们都变成棒槌!——————这是乱套的时代,这是狗血的时代,这是女主经常死后重生的时代。江湖总是千变万化的?嗯!相公总是到处乱跑的?嗯!嗯!女主总是万能无敌的?嗯!嗯!嗯?!
  • 吾仙万万岁

    吾仙万万岁

    天作孽犹可活,自作孽不可活!不就是趁醉发了场疯么,不就是指着天上的雷电唱superstar么?不就是又多嘴说了一句:敢问哪位仙友在此渡劫么?要不要就这么草率的被穿了过来?好吧,既来之则安之,改造青楼,当众姑娘的领导人这感觉真是非一般的爽!变成丞相老婆,也是吊炸天!只是其他人都来凑什么热闹?各位公子们,稍微歇歇可好?感谢阅文书评团提供书评支持!
  • 才貌双绝:萧观音

    才貌双绝:萧观音

    《才貌双绝——萧观音》中优美生动的文字、简明通俗的语言、图文并茂的形式,把中国文化中的物态文化、制度文化、行为文化、精神文化等知识要点全面展示给读者。
  • 名家眼中的100位中国历史名人

    名家眼中的100位中国历史名人

    不及格的政治家——王春榆点评李自成;他为中国古代隐逸史画了一个圆满的句号——何鸣看黄宗羲;投机分子:失之东隅,收之桑榆——柏杨眼中的吴三桂;伊非寻常女,境界堪绝伦——阎崇年眼中的孝庄;慎之又慎解难题——阎崇年解读康熙;疏于哨鹿,勤先天下——樊树志谈雍正;积极进取的儒士与惊世骇俗的狂怪——孟桢评郑板桥;他掌舵的朝代,盛世与危机并存——范文澜评乾隆……本书收录百篇名家眼中的100位中国历史名人的评论。
  • The Metal Monster

    The Metal Monster

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。