PREFACE.

...[is demonstra]ted original: "ta est"; completing a word like demonstrata from the previous page., where it is clear from the determinations original: "determinationibus"; the specific limiting traits or characteristics that define a concept. inherent in the notion of the subject that the predicate original: "prædicatum"; a property or quality being asserted about a subject. can be inferred by legitimate reasoning. If anyone has once experienced the power of the scientific method original: "methodi scientificæ"; the rigorous, step-by-step logical system used to ensure every conclusion follows necessarily from what came before. in compelling agreement, he will never again complain about an excessive zeal for demonstration. But if someone wishes to admit certain things without proof, let him follow his own judgment as far as I am concerned; let him skip the demonstration separated from the proposition and leave it to those who do not at all criticize an excessive scrupulousness in demonstrating, but rather delight in it.

Since we commonly hold only confused notions original: "notiones confusas"; in early modern logic, a "confused" idea is one where you can recognize a thing but cannot list its specific, defining parts. of ontological terms original: "terminorum ontologicorum"; vocabulary dealing with the nature of existence itself., and because the distinct notions original: "notiones distinctæ"; ideas where the constituent parts and definitions are clearly understood. of abstract things are very often judged to be different from these confused ones, I have therefore decided that the identity of our distinct notions with the confused or at least incomplete common ones must be demonstrated. This is so that it may appear that we are not changing the meaning of accepted terms in the slightest.

We have derived our distinct notions from the things themselves; it seemed better to us to draw wisdom from these throughout all of Philosophy original: "Philosophiam"; in this context, the word refers to the systematic study of all rational knowledge. than from the thoughts of others. Common, confused notions correspond to these same things, except that authors often express poorly what they think well. It is no wonder, then, that a consensus is found between the two, even if we have been little concerned with it. But he who [examines] the manner in which we establish this consensus... The text cuts off here; the catchword "per-" suggests a word like perspectus (examined) or persequitur (pursues) follows.