Here's why this happens. We're born with nature already teaching us some basic ideas about right and wrong. But then we add our own arrogance to the mix. Someone says, 'Why don't I know what's beautiful and what's ugly? Don't I have the basic concept?' Yes, you do. 'Don't I apply it to specific situations?' Yes, you do. 'Don't I apply it correctly?' That's the whole problem right there. That's where conceit comes in. People start with these basic ideas that everyone agrees on. But then they move to controversial topics by applying these ideas poorly. If they could apply them correctly on top of having the basic concepts, what would stop them from being perfect?
And the cause of this is that we come into the world already taught as it were by nature some things on this matter ([Greek: topon]), and proceeding from these we have added to them self-conceit ([Greek: oiaesin]). For why, a man says, do I not know the beautiful and the ugly? Have I not the notion of it? You have. Do I not adapt it to particulars? You do. Do I not then adapt it properly? In that lies the whole question; and conceit is added here; for beginning from these things which are admitted men proceed to that which is matter of dispute by means of unsuitable adaptation; for if they possessed this power of adaptation in addition to those things, what would hinder them from being perfect?