John Lockes Theory of Knowledge 1632 1704 1

John Locke’s Theory of Knowledge (1632 -1704) 1

Empiricist All knowledge is derived from experience 2

First systematic assault on Cartesian Rationalism Rejected Descartes’ claim of Innate Ideas 3

Locke’s Reasons for Rejecting Innate Ideas 4

1. Children and Idiots do not possess them 5

2. Empirical basis seems more reasonable 6

Major Concept in Locke’s Theory of Knowledge 7

Tabula Rasa 8

Blank Slate Our minds at birth are a blank slate that experience writes upon 9

All knowledge begins with sensory experience on which the powers of the mind operate 10

Simple Experiences and Ideas Our mind begins with simple experiences and develops simple ideas from these experiences 11

Example A color seen A sound heard 12

Complex Ideas The joining together of many simple ideas “A red ball” 13

Higher Complex Ideas • The development of higher level and more complex ideas • E = mc 2 14

Absolute Knowledge? The only absolute knowledge we can have is the self-evident knowledge that we exist 15

All other knowledge? Degrees of certainty derived from inductive generalizations 16

Example We see the sun rise every morning and infer that it is highly probable that it will rise tomorrow But it is not absolutely certain 17

Objects of Sensation Mind-Independent objects that cause sensations in us 18

Sense Data The physical objects of sensation cause our senses to be affected 19

• Our senses convey to our minds distinct perceptions of these objects of sensation 20

This sense data is transformed into thoughts and ideas 21

Objects of Reflection The Ideas / Thoughts the Objects of Sensation have stimulated in our minds 22

Once the objects of sensation have stimulated the mind We begin to develop simple ideas of the Objects of Sensation These are Objects of Reflection 23

We develop these ideas and think more about them (the ideas) (not the physical object itself) 24

Objects of Reflection Include Thinking Doubting Believing Reasoning Knowing Willing Introspection 25

Primary Qualities Those qualities / properties that an object of sensation (physical objects) have within itself Mind Independent Quality 26

Examples Solidarity Extension Figure Motion Number 27

Secondary Qualities Those qualities / properties That are not In the Objects of Sensations But are produced in the perceiver by the primary qualities 28

Mind-Dependent Qualities Color Taste Texture Sound Smell 29

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Reality? • Our minds do not deal directly with objective reality 31

Reality? Our minds only deal with Ideas Representations of reality 32

Levels of Knowledge 33

Intuitive Knowledge The knowledge the mind perceives immediately (at first sight) 34

Example A Square is not a Circle 35

Reasoning When the mind does not immediately perceive agreement or disagreement of ideas We must think about the ideas 36

Example 3+7+9+1+6=26 37

Probability and Faith The demonstration does not provide a constant and convincing connection between the ideas 38

Example God exists 39