. And then it is a real inquiry concerning
the NATURE of a bird or a bat, to make their yet imperfect ideas of
it more complete; by examining whether all the simple ideas to which,
combined together, they both give name bird, be all to be found in
a bat: but this is a question only of inquirers (not disputers) who
neither affirm nor deny, but examine: Or, (2) It is a question between
disputants; whereof the one affirms, and the other denies that a bat is
a bird. And then the question is barely about the signification of one
or both these WORDS; in that they not having both the same complex ideas
to which they give these two names, one holds and the other denies, that
these two names may be affirmed one of another. Were they agreed in the
signification of these two names, it were impossible they should dispute
about them. For they would presently and clearly see (were that adjusted
between them,) whether all the simple ideas of the more general name
bird were found in the complex idea of a bat or no; and so there could
be no doubt whether a bat were a bird or no. And here I desire it may
be considered, and carefully examined, whether the greatest part of the
disputes in the world are not merely verbal, and about the signification
of words; and whether, if the terms they are made in were defined, and
reduced in their signification (as they must be where they signify
anything) to determined collections of the simple ideas they do or
should stand for, those disputes would not end of themselves, and
immediately vanish. I leave it then to be considered, what the learning
of disputation is, and how well they are employed for the advantage of
themselves or others, whose business is only the vain ostentation of
sounds; i. e. those who spend their lives in disputes and controversies.
When I shall see any of those combatants strip all his terms of
ambiguity and obscurity, (which every one may do in the words he uses
himself,) I shall think him a champion for knowledge, truth, and peace,
and not the slave of vain-glory, ambition, or a party.

8. Remedies.

To remedy the defects of speech before mentioned to some degree, and
to prevent the inconveniences that follow from them, I imagine the
observation of these following rules may be of use, till somebody better
able shall judge it worth his while to think more maturely on this
matter, and oblige the world with his thoughts on it.

First Remedy: To use no Word without an Idea