There is no such way to gain admittance, or give defence to strange and absurd Doctrines, as to guard them round about with Legions of obscure, doubtful, and undefin’d Words.
JOHN LOCKEIf 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.
More John Locke Quotes
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Though the water running in the fountain be every ones, yet who can doubt, but that in the pitcher is his only who drew it out?
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Though the familiar use of things about us take off our wonder, yet it cures not our ignorance.
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Firmness or stiffness of the mind is not from adherence to truth, but submission to prejudice.
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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.
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Moral laws are set as a curb and restraint to these exorbitant desires, which they cannot be but by rewards and punishments, that will over-balance the satisfaction any one shall propose to himself in the breach of the law.
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[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 -
There are two sides, two players. One is light, the other is dark.
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Man is not permitted without censure to follow his own thoughts in the search of truth, when they lead him ever so little out of the common road.
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Not time is the measure of movement but: …each constant periodic appearance of ideas.
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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.
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There is frequently more to be learned from the unexpected questions of a child than the discourses of men.
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Knowledge is grateful to the understanding, as light to the eyes.
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[Individuals] have a right to defend themselves and recover by force what by unlawful force is taken from them.
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If we trace the progress of our minds, and with attention observe how it repeats, adds together, and unites its simple ideas received from sensation or reflection, it will lead us farther than at first, perhaps, we should have imagined.
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I do not say this, that I think there should be no difference of opinions in conversation, nor opposition in men’s discourses… ‘Tis not the owning one’s dissent from another, that I speak against, but the manner of doing it.
JOHN LOCKE