"أفعال العقل التي يمارس فيها قوته على الأفكار البسيطة هي أساسًا ثلاثة: 1. دمج عدة أفكار بسيطة في فكرة مركبة واحدة، وهكذا تُصنع جميع الأفكار المعقدة. 2. الثانية هي جمع فكرتين، سواء كانت بسيطة أو معقدة، معًا ووضعهما بجانب بعضهما البعض للنظر إليهما في وقت واحد"
— John Locke
Simplified Meaning:
Our minds can do three main things with ideas. First, we can put together simple ideas to create more detailed and complex ones. Imagine how we combine simple blocks to build a castle. Second, we can compare two ideas side by side without mixing them. This helps us understand how they are related. For instance, if you look at an apple and an orange next to each other, you can see both similarities and differences without merging them into one fruit. Third, we can focus on an idea by removing details that aren't important at the moment, allowing us to think in general terms. It's like when you think of a 'dog' in general, not a specific dog you know, but the idea of any dog. Together, these abilities help us better understand and create new thoughts, solve problems, and learn about the world around us. Knowing how to use these mental tools can make our thinking clearer and more flexible in different situations.