335.记事四：
有一次，我在晨曦中从沉睡中醒来，只见眼前仿佛有形形色色的幽灵。后来天色大亮，我看到各种幻影。有的像写满字的纸张，被折叠了多次，以致最后看似流星坠入空中并消失不见。有的看似打开的书卷，它们当中有一些闪耀如小月亮，另一些则像蜡烛一样燃烧。其中一些书升入高空并消失，另一些书则坠到地上，化为尘埃。我从这些景象猜测，站在这些流星下面的人可能在争论想像的问题，他们认为想像极其重要。因为在灵界，所看到的这类大气现象是由那些站在下面之人的推理所产生的。很快，我灵的视觉被打开了，我看到许多灵人，他们头戴月桂叶，身穿花袍，这是在世时以学问着称的灵人的标志。我在灵里，于是便靠近并加入集会。然后，我听见他们正在激烈争论天生观念，也就是说，人类是否和动物一样，一出生就带有某些天生观念。那些持否定意见的人逐渐离开那些持肯定意见的人，直到最后分成两派，如同两军对阵，兵刃相见。只是他们用的不是刀剑，而是唇枪舌剑。
突然间，一个天使灵站在他们中间，大声呼喊说：“我从不远处听见你们在激烈争论天生观念，它们像在动物里面那样天生就在人类里面。但我告诉你们，人类根本没有任何天生观念，动物也没有任何天生观念。所以你们在争论一个子虚乌有的话题，或像谚语说的，争论山羊毛或时间的胡须（都是些不存在的事物）。”他们闻言全都大发雷霆，喊着说：“把他赶出去！他说的话完全违背常识。”他们试图把他赶走时，只见他被天堂之光围住，他们无法突破这光，因为他是天使灵。于是他们退后，离他远一点。那光被收回后，这位天使对他们说：“为何大发雷霆呢？请先听我说，把我所提出的理由汇集起来，然后你们自己从中得出结论。我预见到，你们当中那些有杰出判断力的人会赞同，并且会平息你们头脑所产生的风暴。”听到这些话，他们仍以愤慨的语气说：“那就说吧，我们洗耳恭听。”
于是，这位天使开始说：“你们相信动物有天生观念，你们是从以下事实推断出这一点的：它们的行为似乎是从思维发出的；然而，它们没有一丁点思维能力，而我们所说的观念只由思维产生。另外，思维的一个特征是，那些思考的人为了这样或那样的目的而以这样或那样的方式行事。所以请细想一下，蜘蛛以娴熟的技巧织网时，会不会用它那小小的脑袋思索：‘我得这样拉丝，然后按十字线路把它们联结起来，免得我的网被一阵猛烈的气流吹散；在形成这网中心的内端，我要为自己预备一个座位。这样无论有什么东西撞到网上，我在那里就能感觉到，并立刻奔过去。因此，若有一只苍蝇飞进来被缠住，我会迅速冲过去，把它包裹起来，使其成为我的美食？’又或者，一只蜜蜂难道会用它那小脑袋思索：我要飞出去；我知道哪里有开满花的田野；我会在那里从一些花朵中采集蜂蜡、吸吮花蜜；我会用蜂蜡建造一排排小蜂室，并且留出如同街道那样的空隙，以便我和我的同伴能自由出入。然后，我们在蜂室中储存大量蜂蜜，足以应付即将到来的寒冬，不至于饿死？更不用说其它奇妙的事了，它们不仅能与人类在政治经济方面的深谋远虑相媲美，甚至在某些方面还超越人类（参看12节[7]）。
“再者，难道黄蜂会用它那小脑袋思想：我和我的同伴会用薄纸建造一个小房子，使里面的墙弯弯曲曲，像个迷宫。在中央地带，我们预备建一个广场，配有进出的通道，但要设计精巧，免得我们同类之外的其它生物发现通向我们聚会所在中心地带的道路？还有，难道蚕还在幼虫阶段时，就会用它那小脑袋思索：现在是时候预备吐丝了，吐出丝后，我就可以飞出去，飞到空中，就是我以前触及不到的领域，与我的伴侣一起玩耍，并预备繁衍后代？其它幼虫，当它们爬在墙上，变成若虫、蛹、成虫，最后成蝶时，难道也会这样想？难道一只苍蝇对在这一个地方而非那一个地方会见另一个苍蝇会有什么想法？
“大型动物和这些小昆虫一样；如飞鸟和各种带翅膀的生物，它们知道何时婚配、何时筑巢、何时在巢里产蛋，然后坐在上面孵化它们的幼雏，为其提供食物，照料它们，直到它们也能飞翔，然后将它们赶出鸟巢，似乎它们不是自己的后代，此外还有许多其它事。地上的野兽、蛇、鱼也是如此。你们当中有谁从中看不出，那些生物的自发行为并非由任何思维过程产生的，而我们只有在这种背景（即在思维过程的基础上）下才能谈论观念。动物具有观念的错误唯独源于一个谬念，即：动物能像人类那样思考，唯一区别在于人能说话。”
此后，这位天使灵环视众人，发现他们仍在犹豫动物有没有思维，于是便继续说：“我发觉由于动物行为与人类行为有相似性，使得你们仍在梦想动物也具有思维。因此，我会告诉你们这些行为的源头。每只野兽，每只鸟，每条鱼、爬行动物和昆虫都有自己的属世、感官和肉体之爱，其居所就在其头脑中。灵界通过它们的脑部直接流入它们的身体感官，再通过这些感官来指导和决定它们的行为。这就是为何它们的身体感官远比人类的更敏锐的原因。来自灵界的这种流注就是所谓的本能。之所以称之为本能，是因为它无需思维居中调停而存在。还有一些第二本能是由习惯产生的。来自灵界的流注通过它们的爱来指导它们的行为，它们的爱只关乎喂养和物种繁衍，无关知识、聪明和智慧，而人里面的爱是通过知识、聪明和智慧来逐渐发展的。
“人没有什么任何天生观念，这从以下事实很明显地看出来：人没有天生的思维，没有思维就没有观念，因为思维和观念互相属于彼此。这一点从新生婴儿可以推断出来，婴儿除了吃奶和呼吸外，什么也不会。就连吸奶的能力也不是天生的，而是在母亲子宫里不断吮吸的结果；他们能呼吸是因为他们是活的，而呼吸是生命的共性。甚至他们的身体感觉极其模糊；他们通过接触物体而一点点地脱离这种状态，同样通过练习学习运动。他们也牙牙学语，先是毫无概念地发出声来，但有某种模糊的东西在他们的心理意象中产生；随着这声音日益变得清晰，一种模糊的想象就产生了，并由此产生一种思维。随着这种状态的形成，观念产生了，如前所述，这观念与思维构成一体；思维通过教导从无逐渐发展起来。这就是人类如何逐渐拥有观念，这些观念并非天生的，而是逐渐形成的，其言行即源于此。” 除了认识、理解、变得智慧的能力，以及不仅爱这些东西，也爱邻爱神的倾向外，人生来一无所有。这可见于前面的记事（48节），以及后面的一些记事（692节）。说完这番话，我环视四周，发现莱布尼茨和沃尔夫就在旁边，他们聚精会神地聆听那位天使灵所提出的论据。然后，莱布尼茨上前来，表示赞同；而沃尔夫既否定又肯定地离开了，因为他缺乏莱布尼茨那样的内在判断力。
335. 第四個經歷:
某天早晨我剛睡醒, 天還沒亮, 見到眼前仿佛有各樣的幽靈形像。當天大亮時, 我見到空中有各樣的幻影。有些像寫了字的紙張, 被多層折疊, 最後看起來如同流星墜落, 直到消失無蹤。有的看起來如同翻開的書本, 有些閃耀如縮小版的月亮, 其它的像燭光點燃。其中, 一部分書本向高處升騰, 直到最後消失在空中; 其它的墜落到地上, 化為灰燼。看到這些現象, 我猜想, 在這些表象之下, 應該有人爭論著某些虛構的事情, 只不過他們視之極為重要。因為在心靈世界, 若看到空中出現這類的現象, 都是因下面有類似錯誤的推理爭辯而引發的。
過了一會, 我的靈視被打開(屬靈的眼見到心靈世界的事情), 觀察到有幾位靈, 頭戴的桂冠由月桂樹葉製成, 身穿鮮花製成的長袍, 這是在世博學多才者的標記。我在靈裡, 於是靠近並加入到他們的聚會中。之後, 我聽到他們正在進行尖銳激烈的爭辯, 主題是:天生觀念; 也就是, 人類是否如同動物那樣, 出生時就有某些固有的觀念。
持否定意見者逐漸離開那些持肯定意見者, 直到最後分成兩派, 如同敵軍對峙, 兵刃相見。不同之處, 僅在於武器不是真實的兵刃, 而是唇槍舌劍。
[2]突然間, 一個屬天的靈站在他們中間, 大聲叫喊:"在不遠處, 我聽見你們雙方在激烈爭論著, 人類是否像動物那樣天生就有某些觀念。只是我告訴你們:人類沒有任何什麼天生觀念, 動物也根本沒什麼天生觀念。因此, 你們在爭論一個子虛烏有的話題。"
聽到這些話, 他們都義憤填膺, 大聲吼叫:"把他攆走！他所說的與常識完全相反。"
然而, 當他們嘗試將他攆走時, 看見他被天國之光環繞著。因為他是個屬天的靈, 他們無法突破那道光。於是就退後, 離他更遠一點。
當那光收回後, 他跟他們說:"為何大發雷霆呢？請先聽我說, 我所提供的理由, 可由你們自己來總結。我預見到, 你們當中那些有傑出判斷力的人會贊同, 你們思想中的風暴也將會平息。"
作為回答, 他們帶著憤慨的聲調說:"那就說吧, 我們聽著呢。"
[3]於是, 這位屬靈的天人開聲說:"你們相信動物有天生的觀念, 你們得出如此結論, 是因為它們的行為看起來像是源自於思想。然而它們毫無思考的能力, 也就不能說它們有什麼觀念。思考的標記在於會為了這樣那樣的原因,以如此那般的方式來實行。
"細想一下, 蜘蛛以嫺熟的技巧織網時, 會不會邊用它那微小的腦袋思考著:'我要先照這個順序拉長絲鋪開, 然後再交叉連接在一起, 以免我的網被強風吹散。在通往網中央的長絲的盡頭, 我要為自己設計個座位。當任何東西撞到網上時, 我在那裡能感受到, 並能快速到達網中央。因此, 倘若一隻蒼蠅飛來, 會進入羅網, 我會迅速出擊將其纏住, 將成為我的美食？'
"還有, 一隻蜜蜂會用它的小腦袋思想:'我要飛出去。我知道哪裡有田野, 並且田中有花。在那裡, 我會從一些花朵中採集蜂蠟, 從另一些花朵中採集蜂蜜。我將用采來的蠟建造一連串毗鄰的巢室, 安排得如同街道排列, 讓我和同伴們能出入自由。然後, 我們將在巢室內貯存大量的蜂蜜, 能熬過即將到來的寒冬, 不至於餓死'？更不用說這些蜜蜂許多其它奇妙的本領, 它們不僅效仿人類在社會與經濟方面的深謀遠慮, 甚至在某些方面勝過人類。(參看第12[7])。
[4]"再者, 難道黃蜂會用它的小腦袋思想:'我和同伴們將用薄紙建造個住處, 裡面的牆要彎彎曲曲, 像個迷宮。在中央地帶, 我們將造成廣場的樣式, 安排一條路出入此處, 但要設計精巧, 避免我們同類之外的任何生物找得到, 打擾我們的聚集之地'？
"難道一隻蠶還只是在幼蟲階段, 就會用它那微小的腦袋思索:'現在是我該為吐絲作準備的時候了。我的目標是, 當完成吐絲後, 我將飛離此地, 在空中-之前我從未觸及的領域-與我的夥伴們一起玩耍, 並為自己繁衍後代作準備'？其它類似的幼蟲, 當它們在牆上爬行, 然後變成稚蟲,蛹,成蟲, 最後成蝶, 也是如此？
[5]"跟這些昆蟲一樣, 那些體積大的動物也是如此。例如飛鳥以及各樣有翼的動物, 它們知道何時交配,何時預備築巢,在巢在產蛋,坐在上面孵它們的後代, 知道何時餵食, 帶大它們, 直到它們也能飛翔, 然後將它們趕出鳥巢, 似乎它們不是自己的子女, 除此以外, 還有無數的其它事情。野獸,蛇,魚也是如此。
"你們當中有誰看不出來, 我先前所講的那些動物自發產生的行為並非源自於思想的過程？正是錯誤地認為動物能像人類那樣思考, 才萌發了'動物有先天觀念'的錯誤概念, 還錯誤地認為人與動物的唯一分別在於語言表達能力。"
[6]在這之後, 這位屬靈的天人環視眾人, 發現他們當中有些人仍不能確定動物是否能夠思考, 於是他繼續說:"我感覺到你們對此搖擺不定, 似乎仍在幻想著動物的思考過程。因此, 我有必要將它們的行為源自哪裡告訴你們。
"每個野獸,每一隻鳥,每條魚,每只爬行動物和昆蟲, 自身都有屬世的,感官的,肉體的傾向, 存在於他們的頭腦當中。靈界通過它們的頭腦直接作用於它們身體的感覺, 並藉著這些感覺來指揮和決定它們的行動。這就是為何它們的身體感覺遠比人類敏感。這樣源自靈界的驅動, 就是人們所稱的"本能"。用這樣的名詞, 是因為它的產生無需思考的幫助。這樣的"本能"還會藉著習性的發展而有所增補。
"來自於靈界的驅動通過它們的愛欲來指導它們的行為, 然而它們的"愛"只是關於餵養以及種類的繁殖, 而與知識,智力和智慧無關(人類的更高層次的愛才通過這些來發展)。
[7]"人也沒有什麼天生觀念, 從他們沒有什麼天生的思想便可清楚得知, 缺乏思想就無觀念可言, 因為思想與觀念密切相聯。對新生嬰孩的觀察可得出結論, 除了吸奶和呼吸, 他們什麼都不會。甚至吸奶的能力並非天生就有, 而是在母親的子宮不斷吮吸的結果。他們呼吸的能力也只是因為他們是活著的, 呼吸普遍存在於活物之中。甚至他們身體的感覺處於極度的黑暗中, 通過接觸外在的物體, 他們一點一點脫離這樣的狀態, 例如他們通過練習來學會移動。他們學習牙牙學語並發出音來, 也是一點一點來。最開始, 毫無任何概念, 只是某些朦朧的形象逐漸產生; 當這些變得更清晰時, 某些模糊的想像逐漸發展, 由此導致思想的朦朧形式漸漸產生。當這樣的狀態逐步發展時, 就產生了觀念; 正如我之前所說, 觀念與思想緊密相連, 並且通過教導, 從毫無思想開始, 思想逐漸發展。這就是人們如何擁有觀念; 它們並非天生就有, 而是逐漸形成。人們的言行也是源自於此。"
人天生什麼也不會, 除了一種能力——獲取知識並認知的能力(進而變得有智慧), 以及一種傾向——不僅愛知識,認知和智慧, 而且愛他們的鄰舍和他們的上帝。請參看之前所記錄的經歷(第48節), 以及後面的一個經歷(第692節)。
之後, 我四周環視, 看見萊布尼茲與沃爾夫(德國著名哲人)在附近。他們專心聆聽那位屬天的靈所說的陳詞。接著, 萊布尼茲上前來, 表示贊同並發表了他的意見; 然而沃爾夫表示既贊同又否定, 便走開了, 因為他缺乏像萊布尼茲那樣的內在決斷力。
第六章 信
335. The fourth memorable occurrence. Once when I woke up in the early light before dawn, I saw ghostly shapes of various kinds before my eyes. Later on, when it was morning, I saw a faint, deceptive light taking various forms [in the sky]. Some of the forms were like sheets of parchment covered in writing that kept folding in on themselves until they looked like shooting stars falling through the air and disappearing. Others were like open books, some of which shone like little moons, while others burned like candles. Some of the books went higher and higher until they passed out of sight, while others fell down to the earth and smashed into powder. On the basis of these visions, I conjectured that there were people standing below these aerial phenomena and that the people were having a dispute over things that were figments of their imagination, but that they nevertheless thought were very important. In the spiritual world, phenomena like this appear in the atmospheres because of the false reasoning of the people standing below them.
Soon the sight of my spirit was opened and I noticed a number of spirits whose heads were ringed with laurel leaves and who were wearing togas with a floral pattern - signs that they were spirits who had been famous scholars in our world. Because I was in the spirit, I went over and mingled with the group. I could hear then that they were having a sharp and ardent dispute about innate ideas. At issue was whether people are born with innate ideas the way animals are. The spirits who thought that people are not born with innate ideas were turning away from the spirits who thought that people are. Eventually the two groups were squared off against each other like the ranks of two armies about to battle with swords, except that since they had no swords they were battling with sharply pointed words.
[2] At that point an angelic spirit suddenly stood among them and spoke out in a loud voice, saying, "From not too far away I could hear that you are having a blazing dispute with one another about innate ideas and whether people have them the way animals do; but I say to you, People have no innate ideas, and animals have no ideas at all. This means that what you are fighting about is actually nothing or, as the saying goes, goats wool or beards in a clean-shaven age. "
When the spirits heard this, they were all outraged and shouted, "Throw him out! What he is saying goes against common sense. "
When they tried to throw the angelic spirit out, however, they saw him surrounded with a heavenly light. Because he was an angelic spirit, they could not break through the light. They backed up and moved a little farther away from him.
After the light drew back, he said to them, "Why did you get angry? Hear me out first. Put together the reasons I am about to give; then you yourselves draw a conclusion based on them. I foresee that those of you who have outstanding judgment will accede, and the storms that have arisen in your minds will grow calm. "
In response, although the spirits still sounded annoyed, they said, "Speak then, and we will hear you out. "
[3] Then the angelic spirit rose to speak and said, "You believe that animals have innate ideas. You have drawn this conclusion from the fact that their actions seem to be based on thought. Yet they have no thought at all; and if they have no thought, they cannot be said to have ideas. A sign that thought processes are active is that people behave in one way or another for one reason or another.
"Ponder, then, whether a spider that is weaving a web with the utmost skill is thinking in its tiny head, 'I am going to lay out threads in this sequence and then stabilize them with perpendicular threads so that my web doesn't fall apart when the air shakes it violently. At the outermost ends of threads that run in to the center I will fashion a seat for myself. There I will sense if anything comes in and will hurry to the center. For example, if a fly flies in and gets caught, I will quickly go in and wrap it up and it will become my food. '
"Does a bee think in its tiny head, 'I am going to fly away. I know where the fields are that have flowers in them. There I will extract wax from some flowers and honey from others. With the wax I will build adjacent cells one after the other, laid out in such a way that my colleagues and I can easily get in and out on passageways. Later we will put lots of honey away in the cells so that there will be enough to prevent our death over the coming winter?' Not to mention other miraculous behaviors that not only emulate human political and economic prudence but even outdo it in some respects [see above].
[4] "Again, does a hornet think in its tiny head, 'My colleagues and I will build a little home out of thin paper. We will curve its inside walls into a labyrinth and fashion the heart of it into a gathering place with a way in and a way out so cleverly designed that no other living thing that is not part of our clan will be able to find the way to the center where we are gathered?'
"Again, is a silkworm during its caterpillar phase thinking in its tiny head, 'Now is the time for me to get ready to spin silk. My goal is that when I have finished spinning silk I will fly off, and in the air - a place I have never been able to reach before - I will play with my friends and ensure that I will have offspring?' The same with other caterpillars that crawl along walls and then become chrysalises, pupas, nymphs, and finally butterflies. Does a fly ever have an idea about breeding with another fly, that the breeding should take place here and not over there?
[5] "It is the same for creatures with larger bodies as it is for these insects - for example, when birds and winged creatures of all kinds mate, build nests, lay eggs in them, incubate the eggs, hatch young, give them food, raise them until they fly away, and then drive them from the birds' nests as if they weren't the birds' own offspring, not to mention countless other phenomena. It is the same for animals, snakes, and fish.
"From what I have said, you can all see that the spontaneous actions of living creatures do not flow from any thought, and that ideas come into play only where there is thought. The mistaken concept that animals have ideas comes solely from the false belief that animals think just as people do and only verbalization differentiates them. "
[6] After that the angelic spirit looked around. Since he saw that the spirits were still undecided on the issue of whether animals think or not, he continued his speech and said, "I sense that you are still stuck with an imaginary idea about brute animals thinking, since they have actions that are similar to human actions. I will tell you then where animals' actions come from.
"Every animal, every bird, every fish, reptile, and insect has its own earthly, sensory, and physical love. These loves dwell in the brains inside their heads. The spiritual world flows directly through their brains into their physical senses and uses those senses to determine their actions. This is why their bodily senses are far more refined than human senses. This inflow from the spiritual world is what is known as instinct. It is called instinct because it comes about without the help of thought. Instinct is also supplemented by the development of habits.
"The love animals have is a love solely for nutrition and propagation. A determination to act comes from the spiritual world through that love. They have no love for knowledge, intelligence, or wisdom, which are the means of developing higher levels of love in human beings.
[7] "As for people having no innate ideas, this is obvious from the fact that people have no innate thinking. Where there is no thinking, there are no ideas, for thinking and ideas go hand in hand. This conclusion can be reached by studying newborn babies. They are unable to do anything except nurse and breathe. They are able to nurse not from anything innate but from continually sucking while they are in their mother's womb. They are able to breathe because they are alive - breathing is universal to life. Their physical senses are in extreme darkness; by [encountering external] objects they climb out of that obscurity bit by bit. Similarly, their ability to move develops through habitual movement. As they learn to babble words and sound them out, at first without any idea, a dim form of visualization gradually arises. As this becomes clearer, a dim form of imagination develops, and this leads to a dim form of thought. As this state gradually develops, ideas develop, which as I said go hand in hand with thought. Thought grows out of no thought as a result of education. This is how people have ideas. Ideas are formed; they are not innate. From these ideas flow people's words and actions. "
On the point that people have nothing else innate except a faculty for knowing, understanding, and becoming wise, as well as a tendency to love not only knowledge, understanding, and wisdom but also their neighbor and their God, see above in the memorable occurrence at 48, and also a memorable occurrence below [692].
After that I looked around and saw Leibniz and Wolff nearby. They were paying close attention to the reasoning put forward by the angelic spirit. Leibniz then acceded and expressed his agreement, but Wolff went away both denying it and affirming it. Wolff's inner judgment was not as well developed as Leibniz's.
335. The fourth experience.
I woke from sleep one morning while it was still twilight, and saw as it were apparitions of various sorts before my eyes. Then when it was full morning, I saw mirages of different types. Some were like sheets of paper covered with writing, which were folded over so many times that at last they looked like shooting stars, failing into the air and vanishing. Some looked like open books, some of which glittered like small moons, others burnt like candles. Among them were books which soared aloft, and high in the air disappeared; others fell to the ground and there were reduced to dust. On seeing these things I guessed that beneath these appearances in the air stood people arguing about imaginary matters, which they regarded as of great importance. For in the spiritual world such phenomena in the atmospheres are to be seen arising from the reasoning of those beneath.
A little later the sight of my spirit was opened, and I observed a number of spirits with their heads wreathed in laurel leaves, and their bodies dressed in flowery robes. This was a sign that they were spirits who in the natural world had been famous for their learning. Being in the spirit, I approached and joined the gathering. Then I heard that they were engaged in a bitter and intense debate about connate ideas, that is to say, whether human beings have any ideas directly from birth, as animals do.
Those who denied this were withdrawing from those who asserted it, and finally they stood divided into two parties, like the lines of two armies about to fight with swords. But lacking swords they were fighting with verbal thrusts.
[2] Suddenly an angelic spirit took his stand in their midst, and cried in a loud voice: 'I have heard from a distance, but not too far from you, that on both sides you are engaged in fierce debate, whether human beings have any connate ideas, as animals do. I tell you that human beings do not have any connate ideas, and that animals do not have any ideas at all. So your quarrel is about nothing, or, as the saying goes, about goats' wool or the beard of this age 1 .'
On hearing this they all flew into a rage and yelled: 'Throw him out, what he says is contrary to common sense.' But when they attempted to throw him out, they saw that he was surrounded by light from heaven, through which they could not break, for he was an angelic spirit. So they retreated and kept a short distance from him. When the light was re-absorbed, he said to them: 'Why do you fly into a rage? Listen first and take in the arguments I shall use, and then reach your own conclusion from them, I foresee that those who have good powers of judgment will agree and will calm the storms which have arisen in your minds.' In reply to this they said, though with indignation in their voices; 'Speak then, and we will listen.'
[3] Then he began speaking and said: 'You believe that animals have connate ideas, and you have deduced this from the fact that their actions seem to spring from thought. Yet they do not have the slightest capacity for thought, and it is only resulting from thought that we may speak of ideas. It is the mark of thought that one acts in such and such a way for this or that reason. Consider then whether the spider weaving its so skillfully designed web thinks in its tiny head: "I will stretch threads out in this order, and join them together with cross threads, so that my web will stand up to the air pressure it will encounter. And where the inside ends of the threads meet to make the centre, I will make myself a place to sit, so that I can detect anything falling into the web and run to it. So if a fly flies into it, it will be ensnared, and I shall quickly attack and wrap it up, so that it will be food for me." Again, does the bee think in its tiny head: "I will fly off. I know where there are meadows in flower, and there I shall suck up wax from some flowers and honey from others; and from the wax I shall build a series of adjoining cells, leaving as it were streets so that I and my companions may freely enter and go out again. Then we shall store large amounts of honey in the cells, to last through the coming winter, so that we do not die." There are many other wonderful details in which bees not only rival the social and economic provisions of men, but in some actually surpass them. (see above 12).
[4] 'Again, does the hornet think in its tiny head: "My companions and I will construct a dwelling of thin paper, with the walls inside curving around to make a labyrinth; and in the middle we shall make a kind of square, equipped with a way in and a way out, but so artfully contrived that no other creature than our own species will find its way to the middle where we hold our meetings." Or does the silk-worm, while still in the grub stage, think in its tiny head: "Now is the time for me to prepare to spin silk, so that, when it is spun, I can fly out, and in the air, an element previously beyond my reach, play with my mates and provide myself with offspring"? And likewise the other grubs, when they crawl through walls, and turn into nymphs, pupas, chrysallises, and finally butterflies? Does any fly have an idea about meeting another fly in one place and not another?
[5] 'It is much the same with larger animals as it is with these insects; as for instance birds and winged creatures of every kind, which know when to meet, when to prepare nests, lay eggs in them, sit on them and hatch their young, offer them food, bring them up until they fly away, and afterwards drive them from their nests as if they were not their own offspring, and countless things besides. It is much the same with land animals, snakes and fish. Is there any among you who cannot see from what I have said that their spontaneous actions do not result from any process of thought, the only context in which we can speak of ideas? The erroneous belief that animals have ideas has arisen solely from the false idea that animals think just as much as human beings, and the power of speech is the only difference.'
[6] After this speech the angelic spirit looked around, and since he saw that they were still wavering about whether animals have thought-processes or not, he went on speaking and said: 'I perceive that the similarity of the actions of animals to those of men has left you still dreaming about their thought-processes. So I will tell you the source of their actions. Every animal, every bird, fish, creeping thing and insect has its own natural, sensual and bodily love; these reside in their heads, and in the brains in them. By this route the spiritual world acts directly upon their bodily senses, and by these it directs their actions. This is why their bodily senses are much more sensitive than those of human beings. This impulse from the spiritual world is what is called instinct, and it is given this name because it arises without the mediation of thought. There are also secondary instincts arising from habit. But their love, by which the impulse from the spiritual world directs their actions, is concerned only with feeding and the propagation of the species, not with any knowledge, intelligence and wisdom, the means by which love develops successively in human beings.
[7] 'Nor does man have any connate ideas, as can be clearly established from the fact that he has no connate thought-process, and in the absence of thought-processes no idea can exist, for the one is dependent upon the other. This can be deduced from newly born babies, who are unable to do anything but take milk and breathe. Their ability to take milk is not the result of being born with it, but of having continually been sucking in the mother's womb. Their ability to breathe is the result of being alive, for this is something which is universal among living creatures. Even their bodily senses are extremely feeble; and little by little they work away from this state by contact with objects, likewise they learn by practice to move. Little by little too they as it were learn to make babbling sounds, at first uttered without any idea, but something dim arises in their mental imagery; and as this becomes clearer, a dim kind of imagination arises, and from this the same kind of thought. In proportion to the formation of this state ideas arise, which, as was said before, are inseparable from thought, and thinking develops from nothing by instruction. This is how human beings come to have ideas; they are not connate, but formed, and from them their speech and actions are derived.'
For man having nothing by birth other than a faculty for knowing, understanding and being wise, and an inclination to love not only these faculties but also his neighbour and God, see the experience recorded above (48); and in one of those to follow.
After this I looked round and saw close by Leibnitz and Wolff 2 , who were listening intently to the arguments put forward by the angelic spirit. Then Leibnitz approached and signified his approval and assent; but Wolff went away both assenting and dissenting, since he lacked the inner powers of judgment which Leibnitz had.
Footnotes:
1. Proverbial expressions for what does not exist.
2. Leibnitz (1646-1716) and Wolff (1679-1754), both famous German philosophers.
335. Fourth Memorable Relation:
Once when I awakened from sleep in the morning twilight, I saw as it were specters before my eyes in various shapes; and afterward when it was daylight I saw fatuous lights of different forms; some like sheets of paper filled with writing and folded again and again, so that they looked like falling stars which in their descent vanished in the air; and some like open books, some of which shone like little moons, and some burned like candles; among these were some books that ascended to a great height and there perished, and others that fell down to the earth and there crumbled to dust. From these appearances I conjectured that there were those standing below these meteors who dispute about imaginary matters, which they deem of great importance; for in the spiritual world such phenomena appear in the atmospheres from the reasonings of those standing below.
And presently the sight of my spirit was opened, and I saw a number of spirits whose heads were wreathed with leaves of laurel, and their bodies clothed with flowered gowns, which signified that they were spirits who in the natural world had been famed for erudition. As I was in the spirit, I approached and mingled with the assembly. I then heard that they were bitterly and hotly disputing about connate ideas, whether any such were inherent in man from birth, as in beasts.
Those who were in the negative turned away from those in the affirmative, and at length they stood apart from each other like the ranks of two armies ready to fight sword in hand; but as they had no swords, they fought with the points of words.
[2] But suddenly an angelic spirit stood in their midst, and speaking with a loud voice said, "At a short distance from you I heard that you were engaged in hot dispute about connate ideas, whether they are inherent in men as in beasts; but I tell you, that men have no connate ideas, and that beasts have no ideas at all. You are therefore quarreling about nothing, or as the saying is, about goats' wool, or the beard of Time."
Hearing this, they were all enraged and shouted, "Put him out; he talks contrary to common sense."
But when they tried to put him out they saw that he was encompassed with heavenly light which they could not break through; for he was an angelic spirit. They therefore drew back and moved a little way from him; and when the light had been indrawn, the angel said to them, "Why are you angry? First listen, and put together the reasons I shall offer, and form a conclusion from them yourselves. I foresee that those among you who excel in judgment will accede, and will calm the tempests that have arisen in your minds."
At these remarks they said, though still in an indignant tone, "Speak then, and we will listen."
[3] So the angel began and said, "You believe that beasts have connate ideas; and this you have inferred from the fact that their actions seem to proceed from thought; and yet they have no thought whatever, and ideas are only predicable of thought. Furthermore, it is a characteristic of thought that those who think act in this or that manner for this or that purpose. Consider therefore, whether the spider which weaves its web with such perfect art thinks in its little head, I will stretch out my threads in this way, and bind them together with cross-threads, so that my web may not be blown asunder by a violent rush of air; at the inner ends of the threads, which shall form the center of the web, I will prepare a seat for myself, where I shall feel whatever touches my web, and run at once to the spot; so that if a fly gets in, he shall be entangled, and I will rush upon him instantly and bind him fast, and he shall serve me for food. Or again, does a bee think in his little head, I will fly abroad; I know where there are fields in bloom; and there I will get wax from the flowers, and will suck honey from them; and with the wax I will build compact rows of little cells in such a way that I and my companions can go in and out easily, as if by streets; then I will store in them abundance of honey, enough even for the coming winter, so that we may not die - and other marvelous things, in which they not only vie with the political and economical prudence of man, but even surpass it (see above, n. 12)?
[4] Again, does the hornet think in his little head, I and my companions will build for ourselves a little house of thin paper, the walls of which we will make within like a labyrinth; and in the inmost we will prepare a kind of forum to which there shall be a way of ingress and of egress, contrived with such art that no living creature except those belonging to our own family, shall find the way to the inmost place where we are assembled? Again, does the silkworm, while it is a grub, think in its little head, Now is the time for me to prepare to spin silk, so that when it is spun, I may fly forth, and in the air, into which I could not ascend before, may sport with my equals and provide myself a posterity? Or do other worms so think, when they creep about the walls, and become nymphs, aureliae, chrysalides, and finally butterflies? Has a fly any idea about having congress with another in some one place and not another?
[5] It is the same with larger animals as it is with these smaller ones; with birds and feathered creatures of all kinds when they pair, build their nests, lay their eggs therein, sit on them, hatch their young, provide food for them, care for them until they can fly, and then drive them from the nests as if they were not their own offspring; besides many other things. It is the same also with the beasts of the earth, with serpents and with fishes. Who among you cannot see from the above statements that the spontaneous acts of these creatures do not flow from any thought, of which alone ideas can be predicated? The error that beasts have ideas has come from no other source than a persuasion that they think equally with men, and that speech alone makes the difference between them."
[6] After this, the angelic spirit looked around, and as he saw them still hesitating whether or not beasts have thought, he continued his discourse, and said, "I perceive that from those actions of brute animals that are similar to human actions, there still clings to you the fanciful idea that they possess thought. I will tell you, therefore, the source of those actions. Every beast, every bird, every fish, reptile, and insect has its own natural, sensual, and corporeal love, the abode of which is its head and the brains there; through their brains the spiritual world flows into their bodily senses immediately, and through them determines their actions; this is the reason why their bodily senses are much more exquisite than those of men. That influx from the spiritual world is what is called instinct; and it is called instinct because it exists without the mediation of thought. There are also things accessory to instinct that arise from habit. But their love, through which comes from the spiritual world their determination to action, is a love solely for nutrition and propagation, not for any knowledge, intelligence, or wisdom, by means of which the love in men is gradually developed."
[7] That man has no connate ideas, is manifestly evident from the fact that he has no connate thought; and where there is no thought there are no ideas; for they belong mutually to each other. This may be inferred from new-born infants, in that they can do nothing but suck and breathe. Their being able to suck is not from anything connate, but from a continual sucking in the mother's womb; and they are able to breathe because they are alive, for this is a universal of life. Even their bodily senses are in the utmost obscurity, and from this they gradually work their way out by means of objects; and in like manner their powers of motion by habitual exercise. And as they gradually learn to utter words and pronounce them at first without any idea, there springs up in them some obscure element of fancy; and as this grows clearer an obscure element of imagination is born, and from that, of thought. Along with the forming of this state ideas spring forth, which, as before said, make one with thought; and from no thought, thought is developed by instruction. While, therefore, men have ideas, they are not connate, but are formed, and from them flow their speech and actions.
That nothing is connate with man except a capacity to know, to understand, and to be wise, as also an inclination to love not only these things but also the neighbor and God, may be seen in the Memorable Relation above (n. 48), and also in some Memorable Relations further on.
After this I looked around and saw Leibnitz and Wolff near at hand, who were attending closely to the reasoning advanced by the angelic spirit. Leibnitz then drew near and expressed his concurrence; but Wolff went away both denying and affirming, for he did not excel in interior judgment as Leibnitz did.
335. The fourth experience. Once at early dawn I awoke from sleep and saw variously shaped apparitions floating before my eyes. Later, when it was morning, I saw a varied display of false lights. Some were like sheets of paper covered with writing; and these, being folded again and again, finally appeared like falling stars, which vanished as they descended in the air. Others again were like open books, some of which shone like little moons, and some glowed like candles. Amongst these were books which were wafted on high, and were totally destroyed when they reached a great height, while others fell to the ground, where they were reduced to dust. From what I saw I conjectured that beneath those meteors were some spirits disputing about purely speculative matters, which they deemed of great importance; for in the spiritual world such phenomena appear in the atmospheres, arising from the reasonings of those below. Presently my spiritual sight was opened and I saw a number of spirits with laurel wreaths on their heads, and wearing flowered gowns. This indicated that they were spirits who in the natural world had been distinguished for their learning: and as I was in the spirit, I approached and joined their company.
I then heard that they were disputing sharply and warmly with one another about connate ideas, as to whether any such were in men from birth, as is, they asserted, the case with beasts. Those who maintained the negative side of the question turned away from those who maintained the affirmative; and at length they separated into two distinct parties, like two armies in array about to engage with drawn swords; but as they had no swords, they waged the contests with keen-edged words.
[2] Then suddenly an angelic spirit stood in their midst and, speaking in a loud voice, said, "Some little distance away I heard you warmly disputing about connate ideas, as to whether any such were in men, as in beasts; but I tell you, that men have no connate ideas, and that beasts have no ideas at all. You are, therefore, wrangling about nothing, or, as the saying goes, about goats' wool, or about the beard on the new-born generation." When they heard this they were all infuriated, and shouted, "Turn him out; he is contradicting common sense." But as they essayed to put him out, they perceived that he was encompassed with heavenly light, which they could not break through; for he was an angelic spirit. They therefore drew back, and retired some distance from him. Thereupon the light was withdrawn, and he said to them, "Why are you angry? First hear me, and consider the reasons I bring forward, and then form your own conclusion from them. I foresee that those of better judgment will approve of this, and will calm the storm that has risen in your minds." To this they replied, though still in an indignant tone, "Well, speak on, and we will listen."
[3] Then he began as follows: "You believe that beasts have connate ideas, and this you conclude because their actions seem to proceed from thought; and yet they have no thought at all. Now ideas are only predicable of thought, and it is characteristic of thought to act in a certain way for a definite reason. Consider, therefore, whether the spider, which weaves its web with the most perfect art, thinks in its little head: 'I will extend my threads in this order, and connect them with cross threads, lest my web should be torn asunder by successive gusts of wind. Where the ends of the threads meet to form the centre I will prepare a place for myself, from which I will observe whatever happens; so that I may run to the spot if a fly gets entangled, quickly fall upon him, and bind him fast; and he shall serve me for food.' Again, does the bee think in its little head: 'I will fly abroad where I know there are fields of flowers, and from them I will gather wax and honey. Of the wax I will build little cells touching one another in orderly arrangement, so that my companions and I may go in and out easily as if along streets. Then we will store them with honey in abundance, sufficient for the coming winter, that we may not perish?' not to mention other wonderful things in which they show political and economic prudence not only equal to, but even in cases surpassing that of men. (See above, 12.)
[4] Further, does the great drone wasp think in its little head: 'My companions and I will build ourselves a tiny house of a thin, paper-like substance, whose inside walls we will make in the form of a labyrinth. In its inmost recess we will provide a sort of meeting-place, which shall have a way in and a way out, so skillfully devised that no living creature other than one of our own family may find its way to the retreat where we assemble?' Again, does the silk-worm, while still a caterpillar, think in its little head: 'Now is the time to prepare myself for the spinning of silk, to the end that, when the spinning is finished, I may fly abroad and sport with my companions in the air, into which I could not previously rise, and provide for myself a progeny?' In like manner do other caterpillars think as they creep along walls and become nymphs, aurelias, chrysalises, and finally butterflies? Does a fly form any idea about meeting with another fly, in this place and not in that?
[5] The case is the same with animals of a larger growth as with these little creatures; as with birds and feathered fowl of every kind, when they pair, build their nests, lay their eggs, sit on them, hatch their young, provide them with food, train them till they are able to fly, when they drive them away from the nest, as if they were not their offspring; with innumerable other instances. It is the same also with beasts, serpents, and fishes. Which of you cannot see from what has just been said that the spontaneous acts of these creatures do not flow from thought, of which alone ideas can be predicated? The error that beasts have ideas arises solely from the belief that they think just as men do, and that speech makes the only difference between them."
[6] After this, the angelic spirit looked around; and as he saw they were still hesitating whether to believe that beasts have thought or not, he continued his discourse, and said: "I perceive that, from a similarity in the actions of the brute beasts and men, you still entertain the idea, based upon appearances, that animals think. I will therefore explain to you the source of those actions. Every beast, bird, fish, reptile and insect has its own natural, sensual and corporeal love, which resides in the brain within the head. By means of the brain the spiritual world has immediate influx into their bodily senses, and through these, determines their actions. For this reason their bodily senses are much more keen than those of men. This influx from the spiritual world is called instinct, so called because it exists apart from any connection with thought. There are also some things accessory to instinct derived from habit. But their love, through which determination to action comes from the spiritual world, is solely concerned with feeding and propagation. It is not concerned with knowledge of any kind, intelligence and wisdom, by means of which in that order love is gradually formed in man.
[7] "That man also has no connate ideas may be clearly evident from the fact that he has no connate thought; for where there is no thought, there is no idea, as these exist reciprocally the one from the other. This may be concluded from the case of new-born infants, who can do nothing but suck and breathe. That they can suck is not due to anything connate, but to continual sucking in the mother's womb; and they are able to breathe, because they live, breathing being a universal accompaniment of life. Their bodily senses themselves are in a state of the greatest obscurity, out of which they gradually emerge by means of the objects on which they are exercised, just as their movements are trained by persistent practice. As they gradually learn to utter words, pronouncing them at first with no idea of their meaning, there arises a certain obscure element of fancy. As this becomes clearer, it gives rise to an obscure element of imagination, and thence of thought. With the development of this state of mind, ideas begin to exist; and ideas, as was said above, are one with thought, and thought grows from a state without thought by instruction. Thus men have ideas, not indeed connate, but formed; and from these ideas their speech and actions flow." That nothing is connate in man except the faculty of acquiring knowledge, intelligence and wisdom, and also the inclination to love, not only these, but also the neighbor and God, may be seen above in a Narrative, 48, and also in one later.
Thereupon I looked around and saw not far away Leibnitz 1 and Wolff, 2 both very interested in the arguments advanced by the angelic spirit. Leibnitz then came forward and intimated his agreement with them; but Wolff withdrew, vacillating between denial and agreement, for he had not the same strength of interior judgment as Leibnitz.
Footnotes:
1. Leibnitz, German philosopher, A.D. 1646-1716. He maintained the metaphysical against mechanical causes in the interpretation of the world. He taught the pre-established harmony of the universe, founded upon spiritual agencies, dependent only upon God, which reflected in themselves the whole universe.
2. Wolff, Johann Christian, A.D. 1679-1754, a German philosopher of little originality or depth. His leading ideas are taken from Leibnitz.
335. QUARTUM MEMORABILE.
Quodam diluculo cum evigilatus sum a somno, vidi sicut Larvas in varia effigie ante oculos; et postea, cum erat mane, vidi Luces fatuas in diversis formis, quasdam sicut membranas scripturis plenas, quae iterum et iterum complicatae tandem apparebant sicut Stellae caducae, quae delapsae in aere evanescebant, et quasdam sicut Libros apertos, quarum aliqui micabant sicut lunulae, et aliquae ardebant sicut candelae; inter hos erant libri qui se sustulerunt in altum, et in altitudine peribant, et alii qui deciderunt in terram, et in pulverem ibi dissolvebantur. Ex his visis augurabar, quod infra Meteora illa starent, qui de rebus imaginariis, quas reputabant magni momenti, litigarent; nam in Mundo spirituali talia Phaenomena in athmosphaeris ex ratiociniis infra stantium apparent; et mox apertus est mihi visus spiritus mei, et animadverti numerum Spirituum, quorum Capita cincta erant foliis ex lauru, et corpore induti togis florificatis, quae signabant, quod essent spiritus, qui in Mundo naturali fama eruditionis incluti fuerunt; et quia eram in spiritu, accessi, et Caetui me immiscui; et tunc audivi, quod inter se acriter et ardenter disceptarent de IDEIS CONNATIS, num aliquae hominibus a nativitate inessent, ut Bestiis; illi qui negabant, se avertebant ab illis qui affirmabant, et tandem segregati steterunt vicissim, sicut phalanges duorum Exercituum mox pugnaturi ensibus, sed quia non erant illis enses, acuminibus verborum pugnabant.
[2] At subito tunc Spiritus quidam Angelicus in medio eorum constitit, et alta voce loquens dixit, audivi e distantia non procul a vobis, quod utrinque ardeatis in lite de Ideis connatis, num aliquae essent hominibus ut bestiis, ego vero dico vobis, QUOD NON SINT ULLAE IDEAE CONNATAE HOMINIBUS, ET QUOD NEC SINT ULLAE IDEAE BESTIIS, quare rixamini de nihilo, aut sicut dicitur, de lana caprina, aut de barba hujus saeculi. His auditis excanduerunt omnes, et vociferabantur, ejicite hunc, loquitur contra Sensum communem; at cum in conatu ejiciendi erant, viderunt illum cinctum Luce coelesti, per quam non potuerunt irrumpere, erat enim Spiritus Angelicus, quare recedebant, et parum se removebant ab illo; et postquam lux illa intracta est, dixit illis, cur excandescitis; audite primum, et colligite rationes quas afferam, et vos ipsi ex illis conclusum facite; et praevideo, quod illi, qui judicio pollent, accessuri sint, et tempestates in mentibus vestris obortas sedaturi: ad haec dicta, sono tamen indignante, dicebant, Loquere itaque, et audiemus;
[3] et tunc exorsus loqui dixit; vos creditis quod Bestiis ideae connatae sint, et hoc conclusistis ex eo, quod actus illarum appareant sicut ex cogitatione, et tamen illis ne hilum cogitationis est, ac ideae non praedicabiles sunt nisi inde, et cogitationis character est, ut faciant propter hoc aut illud ita vel ita: expendite itaque, num Aranea, quae artificiosissime texit telam, in suo pusillo capite cogitet, in hoc ordine fila extendam, et illa transversis filis colligabo, ne tela mea ingruente aeris vibratione diffluat; ac in terminis primis filorum, qui facient meditullium, parabo mihi sedem, in qua percipiam quodcunque incidit, ut illuc accurram, ut si musca involat, irretiatur illa, ac cito invadam et circumligabo illam, et cedet mihi in escam. Porro num Apis in pusillo suo capite cogitat, evolabo; scio ubi campi florescentes sunt, et ibi ex his floribus ceram, et ex illis mel exsugam, et ex cera exstruam cellulas contiguas in serie, illo modo, ut ego cum sociis, sicut per plateas libere intremus et exeamus, et postea in illis reponemus mel abundanter, ut satis sit etiam pro ventura hyeme, ne moriamur; praeter alia mirabilia, in quibus prudentiam politicam et oeconomicam humanam non modo aemulantur, sed in quibusdam excedunt, (videatur supra, 12[7]).
[4] Adhuc, num Fucus major in pusillo suo capite cogitat, ego cum sociis meis fabricabimus domunculam ex tenui papyro, cujus parietes intus circumducemus in formam labyrintheam, ac intime parabimus sicut forum, in quod erit ingressus et a quo egressus, et hoc eo artificio, ut non aliud vivum, quam quod ex nostra prosapia est, reperiat viam ad intimum, ubi congregamur. Iterum, num bombyx, dum vermis, in pusillo suo capite cogitat, nunc tempus est ut praeparem me ad nendum sericum, et propter finem, ut quando netum est, evolem, et in aere, in quem non prius eniti potui, ludam cum comparibus, et prospiciam mihi progeniem. Similiter reliqui vermes, dum subrepunt per parietes, et fiunt nymphae, aureliae, chrysallides, et demum papiliones. Numeri musca aliquam ideam de congressu cum alia musca habet, quod hic et non ibi.
[5] Simile est cum animalibus grandioris corporis, sicut est cum illis animalculis, ut cum avibus et pennatis omnis generis, quando congrediuntur, tum quando parant nidos, ponunt inibi ova, incubant illis, excludunt pullos, his porrigunt escas, educant usque dum evolant, et postea abigunt a nidis sicut prolem non suam, praeter innumera alia: simile 1 etiam est cum bestiis terrae, cum serpentibus, et cum piscibus; quis vestrum non potest ex supradictis videre, quod actus illarum spontanei non profluant ex aliqua cogitatione, de qua unice praedicabilis est idea: error, quod bestiis sint ideae, non aliunde profluxit, quam ex persuasione, quod illae aeque ac homines cogitent, et quod modo loquela faciat discrimen.
[6] Post haec, Spiritus angelicus circumspexit, et quia vidit illos adhuc haesitantes, num bestiis sit cogitatio vel non, continuavit sermonem, et dixit; percipio quod ex actibus animalium brutorum similaribus cum humanis, adhuc vobis inhaereat idea visionaria de cogitatione illorum; quare dicam, unde illi actus; videlicet, est cuivis bestiae, cuivis volucri, cuivis pisci, reptili, et insecto, suus amor naturalis, sensualis 2 ac corporeus, cujus habitacula sunt illorum capita, et in his cerebra; per haec influit Mundus spiritualis in Sensus corporis eorum immediate, et per hos determinat actus, quae causa est, quod Sensus corporis illorum prae humanis sint multo exquisitiores. Influxus ille e Mundo spirituali, est qui vocatur Instinctus, ac Instinctus vocatur, quia absque media cogitatione existit: dantur etiam accessoria Instinctus ex assuetudine. At amor illorum, per quem e Mundo Spirituali fit determinatio ad actus, est solum pro Nutritione et Propagatione, non autem pro aliqua scientia, intelligentia et sapientia, per quas successive fit amor apud homines.
[7] Quod nec homini aliquae ideae connatae sint, evidenter constare potest ex eo, quod non aliqua cogitatio ei 3 connata sit, et ubi non cogitatio ibi nec idea, una enim est alterius vicissim; hoc concludi potest ex Infantibus recens natis, quod praeter lactere et respirare nihil possint; quod possint lactere, non est ex connato, sed ex continua suctione in utero matris, et quod possit respirare, est quia vivunt, hoc enim est universale vitae; ipsi Sensus corporis eorum sunt in summa obscuritate, et ab hac successive enituntur per objecta, similiter illorum motus per assuetudines; et successive sicut discunt effutire voces, et sonare illas primum absque idea, exoritur aliquod obscurum phantasiae, quod sicut clarescit, nascitur obscurum imaginationis, et inde cogitationis; secundum hujus status formationem existunt ideae, quae, ut supra dictum est, cum cogitatione unum faciunt, et cogitatio a nulla increscit per instructiones; quare ideae hominibus 4 sunt, verum non connatae, sed formatae, et ex his fluunt loquelae et actus illorum. Quod homini non aliud connascatur quam facultas ad sciendum, intelligendum, et sapiendum, ut et inclinatio ad amandum non modo illas, sed etiam proximum et Deum, videatur supra in MEMORABILI, 48; et quoque infra in quodam MEMORABILI [@@692]. 5 Post haec circumspexi, et vidi in propinquo LEIBNITZIUM et WOLFIUM, qui intendebant rationibus a Spiritu Angelico prolatis; et tunc accessit Leibnitzius, et assensu favit, at Wolfius abivit et negans et affirmans, non enim pollebat interiori judicio quo Leibnitzius.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: simile.
2. Prima editio: naturalis sensualis.
3. Prima editio: 101.
4. Prima editio: honinibus.
5. Sic Rose.