Full Idea
Experience concludeth nothing universally.
Gist of Idea
Experience can't prove universal truths
Source
Thomas Hobbes (The Elements of Law [1640], I.4.10), quoted by Richard Tuck - Hobbes Ch.2
Book Reference
Tuck,Richard: 'Hobbes: a very short introduction' [OUP 2002], p.59
A Reaction
Empiricists seem proud to claim this limitation on human understanding, where rationalists like Leibniz use it as an argument against empiricism. Kripke says (e.g. Idea 4966) they are both wrong! I sympathise with Kripke.
Related Idea
Idea 4966 Theoretical identities are between rigid designators, and so are necessary a posteriori [Kripke]