Sunday, March 1, 2009
John Locke
I most agree with the philosophy of John Locke. I agree that our experiences and senses are what determine our knowledge. I cannot agree with Descartes’ philosophy that people are born with innate ideas because it has been shown that different people know different ideas depending on where and how they live. Descartes claimed that people know of mathematics but many people in poorer nations know little of mathematics and according to Descartes they should. Unlike Descartes, Locke believes that we have innate capacity and that our experiences throughout life will determine how much and what kind of knowledge we will have. Therefore, places and people who value math and science will have more math and science experience whereas other places that value the arts will have more artistic experience. I like the metaphor that Locke uses in saying the mind is an empty cabinet in which ideas flow into it through the senses. This is how younger children learn. They experience something for the first time such as learning the alphabet. They see and hear the letters through the senses and after repetition they learn to recognize the letters as the alphabet and the names they correspond to and they then remember them. Eventually the children can form language with these letters, which was the ultimate goal. The second metaphor Locke uses is also good in the white paper with markings on it coming through experiences. Where Descartes would say everyone has the same innate ideas, Locke says people have different ideas but the same innate capacity. In the context of the metaphor, everyone has the same capacity, the paper, but different experiences (markings). If we examined the papers of different people in different places, we would see different markings and therefore different experiences and this makes sense even in today’s world. Furthermore, Locke believed in the optimistic view of humanity. This optimism would lead to a positive look on government that the people should have a good relationship with their government as opposed to a negative one under an absolute monarch and this would lead to the foundations of democracy. Locke helped lead to democratic governments and even our own government. John Locke’s philosophy on knowledge is one that I can agree with.
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I also agree we most of John Locke’s idea because they are logical explanations for the way things are. The only thing I disagree with is the idea of the “empty cabinet.” Mankind to an extent begins life not knowing anything, but I think I some cases it is different. There is a certain potential for great ideas in some people. You make the point of people in Africa not knowing any mathematics, which is true. They don’t know because they were never taught, but what we don’t know what campacity there brain has. We don’t know if they would have been the next person to create the next great innovation in mankind. The overall premise of what I am trying to say is yes people don’t have any innate idea when they are born, but potentially there are some ideas that need to be uncovered.
ReplyDeleteJohn Locke in my opinion established the first complicated basis of the human mind in relation to the world. He wrote the essays concerning human understanding, which explained how ideas come from thinking, sensations and our mind. All of these things were know, but he explained how they work and what was beneficial about experiencing the world. He expressed his opinions, which were not very popular belief at the time and they are now some of the most acknowledged belief about early modern philosophy.
I agree with most of Locke's philosophies as well. In comparison, I do believe in Descarte's philosophy of innate knowledge. This post does not agree with Descarte's philosophy because it says people know different things depending on where they are brought up. Although this is true, it doesnt mean that humans dont have the innate ability to learn which is what Descartes is trying to prove. I do however agree with Locke's idea of the empty cabinet and that ideas do flow in through the senses. I do agree with this blogger when it come to the fact that the white sheet of paper metaphor is a great example of Locke's philosophy. You can try to teach a piece of paper anything you want, write on it every piece of information known to man but it will still not learn. This proves the idea of innate knowledge. I also greatly disagree with with the religious philosophies of Spinoza and agree more with the religious views of Locke. I dont believe that God is just an idea or a philosophy. I agree more with Descartes when he says that God is the creator. I also agree with the fact that God is more than just a watch maker. I believe he is still involved with the world after he has created it. Locke's belief in faith reason and knowledge are the closest to mine.
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