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We should have a great fewer disputes in the world if words were taken for what they are, the signs of our ideas only, and not for things themselves.

John Locke

This is to think, that men are so foolish, that they take care to avoid what mischiefs may be done them by pole-cats, or foxes; but are content, nay, think it safety, to be devoured by lions.
JOHN LOCKE

Cat Furnish Men Pole Thinking
So that, in effect, religion, which should most distinguish us from beasts, and ought most peculiarly to elevate us, as rational creatures, above brutes, is that wherein men often appear most irrational, and more senseless than beasts themselves.
JOHN LOCKE

Beast Creature Men Rational
No man’s knowledge here can go beyond his experience.
JOHN LOCKE

Knowledge Philosophical Science
Thus parents, by humouring and cockering them when little, corrupt the principles of nature in their children, and wonder afterwards to taste the bitter waters, when they themselves have poison’d the fountain.
JOHN LOCKE

Children Parent Water
But there is only one thing which gathers people into seditious commotion, and that is oppression
JOHN LOCKE

Oppression People
Struggle is nature’s way of strengthening it
JOHN LOCKE

Strengthening Struggle Way
The great question which, in all ages, has disturbed mankind, and brought on them the greatest part of their mischiefs … has been, not whether be power in the world, nor whence it came, but who should have it.
JOHN LOCKE

Age Gretest Mischie World
Who hath a prospect of the different state of perfect happiness or misery that attends all men after this life, depending on their behavior, the measures of good and evil that govern his choice are mightily changed.
JOHN LOCKE

Evil Karma Men
To be rational is so glorious a thing, that two-legged creatures generally content themselves with the title.
JOHN LOCKE

Reason Titles Two
Faith is the assent to any proposition not made out by the deduction of reason but upon the credit of the proposer.
JOHN LOCKE

Atheism Credit Reason
The end of law is not to abolish or restrain, but to preserve and enlarge freedom. For in all the states of created beings capable of law, where there is no law, there is no freedom.
JOHN LOCKE

Ends Freedom Law
If you punish him for what he sees you practise yourself, he… will be apt to interpret it the peevishness and arbitrary imperiousness of a father, who, without any ground for it, would deny his son the liberty and pleasure he takes himself.
JOHN LOCKE

Father Liberty Son
Habits wear more constantly and with greatest force than reason, which, when we have most need of it, is seldom fairly consulted, and more rarely obeyed
JOHN LOCKE

Habit Needs Reason
It is one thing to persuade, another to command; one thing to press with arguments, another with penalties.
JOHN LOCKE

Argument Command Penalties
[H]e that thinks absolute power purifies men’s blood, and corrects the baseness of human nature, need read the history of this, or any other age, to be convinced to the contrary.
JOHN LOCKE

Blood Men Thinking
Curiosity should be as carefully cherish’d in children, as other appetites suppress’d.
JOHN LOCKE

Cherish Children Curiosity
All rising to great place is by a winding stair; and if there be factions, it is good to side a man’s self whilst he is in the rising, and to balance himself when he is placed.
JOHN LOCKE

Balance Men Self
Till a man can judge whether they be truths or not, his understanding is but little improved, and thus men of much reading, though greatly learned, but may be little knowing.
JOHN LOCKE

Knowing Men Reading
Slavery is so vile and miserable an Estate of Man, and so directly opposite to the generous Temper and Courage of our Nation; that ’tis hardly to be conceived, that an Englishman, much less a Gentleman, should plead for’t.
JOHN LOCKE

Gentleman Men Opposites
The Church which taught men not to keep faith with heretics, had no claim to toleration.
JOHN LOCKE

Atheism Church Men
Crooked things may be as stiff and unflexible as streight: and Men may be as positive and peremptory in Error as in Truth.
JOHN LOCKE

Men Science Truth
Whoever uses force without Right … puts himself into a state of War with those, against whom he uses it, and in that state all former Ties are canceled, all other Rights cease, and every one has a Right to defend himself, and to resist the Aggressor.
JOHN LOCKE

Canceled Force Rights Ties War
I doubt not, but from self-evident Propositions, by necessary Consequences, as incontestable as those in Mathematics, the measures of right and wrong might be made out.
JOHN LOCKE

Doubt might Self
So difficult it is to show the various meanings and imperfections of words when we have nothing else but words to do it with.
JOHN LOCKE

Difficult Imperfection Writing
The picture of a shadow is a positive thing.
JOHN LOCKE

Positive Things Shadow
Nothing is in the intellect that was not first in the senses.
JOHN LOCKE

Firsts Intellect Senses
[Individuals] have a right to defend themselves and recover by force what by unlawful force is taken from them.
JOHN LOCKE

Individual Taken Unlawful

We should have a great fewer disputes in the world if words were taken for what they are, the signs of our ideas only, and not for things themselves.

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We should have a great fewer disputes in the world if words were taken for what they are, the signs of our ideas only, and not for things themselves.

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