ence, which, if we can know, as sure we may, will certainly determine this matter. And because experience is urged with great triumph, by the patrons of Liberty, we will begin with a few general reflections concerning the argument of experience; and then we will proceed to our experience itself.
General Reflections on the argument of experience.
1. The vulgar, who are bred up to believe Liberty or Freedom, think themselves secure of success, constantly appealing to experience for a proof of their freedom, and being persuaded that they feel themselves free on a thousand occasions. And the source of their mistake, seems to be as follows. They either attend not to, or see not the causes of their actions,[1] especially in matters of little moment, and thence conclude they are free, or not moved by causes, to do what they do.
They also frequently do actions whereof they repent; and because in the repenting humor they find no present motive to do those actions, they conclude that they might not have done them at the time they did them, and that they were free from necessity (as they were from outward impediments) in the doing them.
They also find that they can do as they will, and forbear as they will, without any external impediment to hinder them from doing as they will; let them will either doing or forbearing. They likewise see that they often change their minds; that they can, and do choose differently every successive moment; and that they frequently deliberate, and thereby are sometimes at a near balance, and in a state of indifference with respect to judging about some propositions, and willing or choosing with respect to some objects. And experiencing these things they mistake them for the exercise of Freedom, or Liberty from Necessity. For
- ↑ Spinoza had previously pointed out, in his terse, magisterial style, that men know that they will, but do not know the causes that determined them to will.—G.W.F.
