Monday, April 20, 2009
Looking Back on Locke and Descartes
After reflecting on the conversation we had in class about the theories of Locke and those of Descartes, I don't recall a single person who voiced their opinion in favor of Descartes. I believe that this is due to the fact that we are citizens of the United States. The entire foundations of our country were founded on the basis of John Locke's political theory. Therefore as U.S. citizens it is hard for us to separate ourselves from the ideas of Locke. The knowledge that we have rights as a citizen has been ingrained in our heads since the beginning of our formal education. It is by no means a coincidence that our rights as a U.S. citizen, "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" line up nicely with Locke's "life, liberty, and property". It is because of these beliefs that it is hard for us to take off our Lockean lenses in order to view other political or religious theories.
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Written by Spencer N
ReplyDeleteAllow I agree that the fact that our declaration of independence revolves around the ideas of Locke generates a significant advantage for him in the United States, I don’t believe that that is the determining cause. When reading Locke and Descartes, Locke took a more mathematical approach and less of a philosophical one. Locke’s ideal that we are born with the innate capacity goes along with what most people believe. The majority of people believe that if you try hard enough you can become anything you want. There innate capacity to thrive and become the best is what they believe separates themselves from the rest. If everyone had inborn ideas, they would have a ceiling upon what they could reach. No one wants to believe this even if it were true. When someone tells you that you can’t, it makes you try harder if you believe in Locke. If you believe in Descartes you would just give up.
Also, Locke’s thinking is easier to follow and understand, and therefore agree with. Descartes’ ideas are much more philosophical and significantly more difficult to understand. ‘I think, therefore I am,’ the fact that he could think means that he existed. Does that mean ghosts exist, and that rocks don’t? So much more abstract thinking is necessary for Descartes but Locke breaks down his ideas into metaphors that allow people to understand his thinking. His metaphor that a mind is an empty cabinet at birth enables people to experience what he was thinking, instead of thinking they know what Descartes was thinking.