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Chapter IX: Of the Several Subjects of Knowledge

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[Sidenote: Knowledge.]

There are of KNOWLEDGE two kinds; whereof one is _knowledge of fact_: the other _knowledge of the consequence of one affirmation to another_. The former is nothing else, but sense and memory, and is _absolute knowledge_; as when we see a fact doing, or remember it done: and this is the knowledge required in a witness. The latter is called _science_; and is _conditional_; as when we know, that, _if the figure shown be a circle, then any straight line through the centre shall divide it into two equal parts_. And this is the knowledge required in a philosopher; that is to say, of him that pretends to reasoning.

The register of _knowledge of fact_ is called _history_. Whereof there be two sorts: one called _natural history_; which is the history of such facts, or effects of nature, as have no dependence on man’s _will_; such as are the histories of _metals_, _plants_, _animals_, _regions_, and the like. The other, is _civil history_; which is the history of the voluntary actions of men in commonwealths.

The registers of science, are such _books_ as contain the _demonstrations_ of consequences of one affirmation, to another; and are commonly called _books of philosophy_; whereof the sorts are many, according to the diversity of the matter; and may be divided in such manner as I have divided them in the following table.

{ Consequences from the accidents
{ common to all bodies natural;
{ which are _quantity_, and _motion_.
{
{ Consequences { { Consequences from the
{ from the { { qualities of bodies
{ accidents { { _transient_, such as
{ of bodies { { sometimes appear,
{ natural; { { sometimes vanish,
{ which is { { _Meteorology_.
{ called { {
{ NATURAL { { { Consequences
{ PHILOSOPHY. { Physics or { { from the
{ { consequences { { qualities of
{ { from { { the _stars_.
{ { _qualities_. { {
{ { { Consequences
{ { { of the
{ { { qualities
{ { { from
{ { { _liquid_
SCIENCE, { { Consequences { bodies,
that is, { { from the { that fill
knowledge of { { qualities of { the space
consequences; { { bodies { between the
which is { { _permanent_. { stars; such
called also { { as are the
PHILOSOPHY. { { _air_, or
{ { substances
{ { ethereal.
{ {
{ { Consequences
{ { from the
{ { qualities of
{ { _bodies
{ { terrestrial_.
{ Consequences {
{ from the { 1. Of consequences from the _institution_
{ accidents of { of COMMONWEALTHS, to the _rights_, and
{ _politic_ { _duties_ of the _body politic_ or
{ bodies; { _sovereign_.
{ which is {
{ called {
{ POLITICS, { 2. Of consequences from the same, to the
{ and CIVIL { _duty_ and _right_ of the _subjects_.
{ PHILOSOPHY. {

Consequences from quantity, and motion _indeterminate_; { PHILOSOPHIA which being the principles or first foundation of { PRIMA. philosophy, is called _Philosophia Prima_. {

{ Consequences { By Figure. } { GEOMETRY.
{ from quanti- { } _Mathematics._ {
{ ty and motion { } {
Consequences { determined. { By Number. } { ARITHMETIC.
from motion {
and quantity { { Consequences }
_determined_. { Consequences { from the }
{ from the { motion and }
{ motion, and { quantity of } { ASTRONOMY.
{ quantity of { the greater } _Cosmography._ {
{ bodies in { parts of the } { GEOGRAPHY.
{ _special_. { world, as }
{ the _earth_ }
{ and _stars_. }
{
{ Consequences }
{ from the } { _Science_ of
{ motions of } _Mechanics._ { ENGINEERS.
{ special } Doctrine of {
{ kinds, and } _weight_. { ARCHITECTURE.
{ figures of } { NAVIGATION.
{ body. }
METEOROLOGY.

{ Consequences from the _light_ of the stars. Out of } SCIOGRAPHY. { this, and the motion of the sun, is made the science of } { { Consequences from the _influences_ of the stars } ASTROLOGY.

{ Consequences { Consequences from the qualities of { from the { _minerals_, as _stones_, _metals_, &c. { parts of the { { earth, that { { are _without { { sense_. { Consequences from the qualities of { { _vegetables_. { { { Consequences { Consequences from _vision_ OPTICS. { { from the { Consequences from _sounds_ MUSIC. { { qualities of { { { _animals { Consequences from the rest { Consequences { in general_. { of the _senses._ { from the { { qualities of { { Consequences from the { ETHICS. { _animals_. { { _passions_ of men { { { { { { In _magnifying_, } POETRY. { Consequences { { _vilifying_, &c. } { from the { Consequences { In _persuading_, RHETORIC. { qualities of { from { In _reasoning_, LOGIC. { _men in { _speech_. { In _contracting_, The _Science_ special_. { of JUST and { UNJUST.

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The English works of Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury, Volume 03 (of 11)Chapter IX: Of the Several Subjects of Knowledge

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