it as an organic while in a speculative unity, or learn that it
cannot be so seen in a finite intelligence, and that even at the last
it must remain 'broken' and mysterious in the human understanding. ]
By which familiar use of them, as rules to measure the truth of other
propositions, it comes in time to be thought, that more particular
propositions have their truth and evidence from their conformity to
these more general ones, which, in discourse and argumentation, are so
frequently urged, and constantly admitted. And this I think to be the
reason why, amongst so many self-evident propositions, the MOST
GENERAL ONLY have had the title of MAXIMS.

12. Maxims, if care be not taken in the Use of Words, may prove
Contradictions.

One thing further, I think, it may not be amiss to observe concerning
these general maxims, That they are so far from improving or
establishing our minds in true knowledge that if our notions be wrong,
loose, or unsteady, and we resign up our thoughts to the sound of words,
rather than [fix them on settled, determined] ideas of things; I say
these general maxims will serve to confirm us in mistakes; and in such
a way of use of words, which is most common, will serve to prove
contradictions: v.g. he that with Descartes shall frame in his mind
an idea of what he calls body to be nothing but extension, may easily
demonstrate that there is no vacuum, i.e. no space void of body, by this
maxim, WHAT IS, IS. For the idea to which he annexes the name body,
being bare extension, his knowledge that space cannot be without
body, is certain. For he knows his own idea of extension clearly and
distinctly, and knows that it is what it is, and not another idea,
though it be called by these three names,--extension, body, space. Which
three words, standing for one and the same idea, may, no doubt, with
the same evidence and certainty be affirmed one of another, as each of
itself: and it is as certain, that, whilst I use them all to stand for
one and the same idea, this predication is as true and identical in its
signification, that 'space is body,' as this predication is true and
identical, that 'body is body,' both in signification and sound.

13. Instance in Vacuum.

But if another should come and make to himself another idea, different
from Descartes's, of the thing, which yet with Descartes he calls by the
same name body, and make his idea, which he expresses by the word body,
to be of a thing that ha