JOHN LOCKEThe Mind is a Blank Slate

(a Tabula rasa)

John Locke

1632-1704 Hard work & love of

simplicity (virtues emphasized at home)

Studied: Classics Logic & Moral Phil. Rhetoric Greek Medicine

17th Century England

Period of political, social, intellectual upheaval

Monarchs overthrown Parliamentary democracy developed New:

social classes Lifestyles Forms of religion Scientific Revolution

Locke’s Activities

Active in politics Esp. in movement preventing English Stuart

monarchs in acquiring absolute power Exiled to Holland Returned to England 1689 when Stuarts overthrown

Writings reflect interests in Education Economics Government Theology Science & Medicine Philosophy

Locke Lived to the age of 72 Achieved significant public success

during his lifetime Had a wide and lasting influence

Politically, Locke helped shape democratic systems in Britain, France & the U.S.

Philosophically, Locke’s ideas about knowledge and understanding foundation of empiricism, i.e., understanding world via senses

“An Essay Concerning Human Understanding”

The result of a “friendly” discussion of philosophy

Before any topic can be discussed successfully, it is necessary to “examine our own abilities and see what objects our understanding were … fitted to deal with.”

Written to “enquire into the original certainty, and extent of human knowledge; together with the grounds and degrees of belief, opinion & assent.”

What is the “origin, certainty, & extent of human knowledge?”

(sounds like Descartes’ question…) Locke rejected:

Descartes’ solution The existence of innate ideas that need to be

discovered (unearthed) Not only is believing in innate ideas

wrong, Locke believed it to be potentially dangerous one will accept ideas without question or examination

The Danger of Innate Ideas

Skillful rulers might use the principle to govern more easily, & eliminate opposing points of view (England’s Stuart monarchy insisted that they ruled by divine right)

Locke claimed All our ideas come to us through our

senses We are NOT born with undiscovered ideas

existing in our minds, ideas are acquired through experience

All ideas are learned Locke’s image of learning: the mind is a

blank sheet of paper, a blank slate, a tabula rasa

Life’s experiences write their stories on the blank page giving us knowledge & ideas

Primary & Secondary Qualities All material things have 2 qualities

Primary qualities that reside in the object itself

Secondary qualities are the powers within the object that actively produce ideas within our mind

Primary qualities Include: Solidity, extension, figure, &

mobility Produce simple ideas in the mind

The Primary Qualities of a Candle

There is one candle It is solid to the touch Is about 10 cm high It sits unmoving on the table We have fairly direct &

certain idea of these primary qualities

Secondary Qualities

Powers within an object that allow us to experience colour, sound, taste & heat

These characteristics are not within the object itself

E.g., the heat & light of the candle are not in the candle, it is the power of the candle that causes us to experience heat and light in our bodies

Therefore, we are less certain of secondary qualities

Simple & Complex Ideas

Experience comes to us through our senses, from which we receive perceptions about external objects

Simple ideas from our senses: Yellow, white, hot, cold, soft, hard, bitter,

sweet & other sensible qualities Complex ideas are assembled as a

composite of simple ideas Whiteness, hardness, sweetness

complex idea of sugar

Knowledge

A product of reason working out the connections between simple ideas aquired through the senses

Ideas are obtained through observation & reflection on those observations

We have an active, analytical role in organizing our ideas

The classification is shaped by our interests and our own convenience

Essay Concerning Human Understanding (excerpt p. 117) All ideas from sense perception How does the “white paper” become

furnished? EXPERIENCE! Two foundations of knowledge

Object of sensation (primary qualities, SENSATION)

Operations of our minds (perception, thinking, doubting, believing, reasoning, knowing, willing, REFLECTION)

All ideas are from sensation & reflection