Thu, 31 May 2007 11:01:48 GMT

Carmen Vidal

Mrs. Cogliano

English 11 Period H

29 May 2007

The Enlightenment: John Locke's "An Essay Concerning Human Understanding"

The Enlightenment, a European movement that gained momentum in the seventeenth century was an era highlighted by brilliant scholars and innovative philosophies. John Locke, one of the most prominent minds during this time, revolutionized philosophy and the understanding of the human mind with his text "An Essay Concerning Human Understanding." "An Essay Concerning Human Understanding," written in 1687, was mediated over for years by Locke and is his personal most enduring contribution to philosophy (Eby 287) as well as one of the most referenced philosophical pieces in history.

The basis of John Locke's text "An Essay Concerning Human Understanding" begins with the conclusion that no singular idea is innate (Kemerling). Locke explains this quite basically when he reasons that for an idea to be innate that it "must be found in the minds of infants, of idiot, of all primitive peoples... Innate ideas will necessarily be found in the minds of all people everywhere, and every mind will have precisely the same idea" (33). This logic makes a theory on innate ideas a sure impossibility because, in the case of infants, they have no ideas of simple academic things such as numbers until the age of rationality while primitive people did not believe in a monotheistic religion, and the ancient Romans and Greeks of civilizations past did not hold the same ideals and conceptions on justice as we do today (Eby 290) or even the same ideals as the men in Locke's time.

Following the course outlined by the statement that no idea is innate is the tabula rasa theory. Tabula rasa is a Latin phrase that literally translates to the two words "wax tablet" and in Locke's work symbolizes the mind of any human being (Eby 291) as "white paper, void of all characteristics" (Locke 47). Throughout one's life, as a person goes through the nature process of maturing and learning, impressions are made upon the tabula rasa or brain through the five senses of touch, taste, hearing, vision, and scent. These impressions upon the mind create images and therefore knowledge (Eby 292). Because the impressions and images accumulated onto the mind by the five senses are objective, i.e., if you see a red ball it will always be red no matter how you look at it, it is necessary for the human mind to have a subjective quality known as perception to translate these images (Eby 292).

A person's perception, an individualistic and subjective quality of the human mind, comes from two sources of knowledge and two sources of knowledge only (Eby 292). What are these sources of knowledge? "To this I answer one word, from experience; in all that our knowledge is founded; and from that it ultimately derives itself" (Locke 71). According to Locke there are two different kinds of experience available to the human mind: inner experience also referred to as reflection and outer experience consists of ideas in the mind that were gained through the help of the senses.

John Locke's "An Essay Concerning Human Understanding" has been hailed since it's writing throughout history as one of the most revolutionary philosophical texts ever produced and managed to stand out as a truly extraordinary piece during a time where many outstanding minds were at work developing new ideas. The place of importance this text holds is well-deserved because of not only its historical value, but because of the risk taken by Locke, one of the brightest minds of the Enlightenment who successfully embodies the entire movement, and the innovative approach he brought to understanding human beings and their minds. The cultural impact of "An Essay Concerning Human Understanding" is well summed up by Bourne who calls it "…the most important philosophical treatise that has been written by an Englishman - the most important because it is more or less due the writing of nearly every other important treatise that has since appeared" (3).

Works Cited

Bourne, H.R. Fox. The Life of John Locke, Volume II. London: Kessinger Publishing, 2003.

Eby, Frederick. The Development of Modern Education. New York: Prentice Hall, 1952.

Kemerling, Garth. “Guide to Locke’s Essay.” A Guide to John Locke’s Essay Concerning

Human Understanding. 1999-2002. 27 October 2001. <www.philosophypages.com/locke/go.htm>

Locke, John. An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, Book II. New York: Prometheus

Books, 1994.

friends only.

Wed, 27 Sep 2006 17:29:20 GMT

c a r m e n

friends only.