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An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, Vol 1
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1813 edition. Excerpt: ... Secondly, Because observing the faculties of the mind, how they operate about simple ideas, which are usually, in most men's minds, much more clear, precise, and distinct than complex ones, we may the better examine and learn how the mind abstracts, denominates, compares and exercises its other operations about those which are complex, wherein we are much more liable to mistake. Thirdly, Because these very operations of the mind about ideas, received from sensation, are themselves, when reflected on, another set of ideas, derived from that other source of our knowledge which I call reflection, and therefore fit to be considered in this place after the simple ideas of sensation. Of compounding, comparing, abstracting, &c. I have but just spoken, having occasion to treat of them more at large in other places. 15. These are the beginnings of human knowledge. And thus I have given a short, and, I think, true history of the first beginnings of human knowledge, whence the mind has its first objects, and by what steps it makes its progress to the laying in and storing up those ideas, out of which is to be framed all the knowledge it is capable of; wherein I must appeal to experience and observation, whether I am in the right: the best way to come to truth, being to examine things as really they are, and not to conclude they are, as we fancy of ourselves, or have been taught by others to imagine. 16. Afxfieal to experience. To deal truly, this is the only way that I can discover, whereby the ideas of things are brought into the understanding: if other men have either innate ideas, or infused principles, they have reason to enjoy them; and if they are sure of it, it is impossible for others to deny them the privilege that they have...
190 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1689
About the author
John Locke
1,996 books1,497 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
John Locke was an English philosopher. He is considered the first of the British Empiricists, but is equally important to social contract theory. His ideas had enormous influence on the development of epistemology and political philosophy, and he is widely regarded as one of the most influential Enlightenment thinkers and contributors to liberal theory. His writings influenced Voltaire and Rousseau, many Scottish Enlightenment thinkers, as well as the American revolutionaries. This influence is reflected in the American Declaration of Independence.
Locke's theory of mind is often cited as the origin for modern conceptions of identity and "the self", figuring prominently in the later works of philosophers such as David Hume, Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Immanuel Kant. Locke was the first Western philosopher to define the self through a continuity of "consciousness." He also postulated that the mind was a "blank slate" or "tabula rasa"; that is, contrary to Cartesian or Christian philosophy, Locke maintained that people are born without innate ideas.
John Locke was an English philosopher. He is considered the first of the British Empiricists, but is equally important to social contract theory. His ideas had enormous influence on the development of epistemology and political philosophy, and he is widely regarded as one of the most influential Enlightenment thinkers and contributors to liberal theory. His writings influenced Voltaire and Rousseau, many Scottish Enlightenment thinkers, as well as the American revolutionaries. This influence is reflected in the American Declaration of Independence.
Locke's theory of mind is often cited as the origin for modern conceptions of identity and "the self", figuring prominently in the later works of philosophers such as David Hume, Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Immanuel Kant. Locke was the first Western philosopher to define the self through a continuity of "consciousness." He also postulated that the mind was a "blank slate" or "tabula rasa"; that is, contrary to Cartesian or Christian philosophy, Locke maintained that people are born without innate ideas.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
January 16, 2016
I am reviewing Volume 1, books 1 and 2.
"An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding" by John Locke, is a difficult read. I would not recommend it if you are only interested in concise point-by-point descriptions of philosophical positions and arguments for them. As other reviewers have said Locke is long-winded and often repetitious.
I would recommend this book to people who are in one of several conditions. 1) You are interested in the intellectual history of western thought and and want to read original sources. I think this work should be considered essential for you. It is a pivotal work in western philosophy. 2) You have already read much of philosophy, including metaphysics and epistemology and are looking for a deep dive into one important philosophers views and arguments and you appreciate some dwelling on subjects, even if it includes repetition for the time it gives you to ponder the same subject. 3) You are a student of philosophy and are embarking on advanced study of empiricism. Since Locke is the founder of British empiricism and this book is Locke's major work on the subject, you will want to read this. 3) You just want to have read for yourself one of the classics of English literature and are intellectually tough and patient.
In this book Locke makes the case that we do not have innate ideas. ('Ideas' as used by Locke are essentially 'concepts'.) All ideas are from sensation or reflection, with the reflection using the simple ideas from sensation as its material. Locke explores many implications and applications of that thesis. Among them include an analysis of ideas that breaks them down into simple ideas and those derived from them by modes, combination, relation, etc. He examines the relationship between the ideas reality. How ideas are not the things themselves but produced by the power of things to produce the simple ideas in us. He puts forth a position about what the idea of substance is - how it is not a simple (direct) idea of an actually existing substance, but a collection of ideas that we observe together and the substance is assumed. It helps to understand the concept of substance (refer to descriptions of Aristotle's substance). He also puts forth an interesting thesis about case and effect, desire, will, and liberty, identity, and person. In the end he examines what it means for an idea to be adequate or inadequate and how ideas might relate to the concepts of true and false, with a discussion of how we associate ideas, rightly and wrongly.
"An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding" by John Locke, is a difficult read. I would not recommend it if you are only interested in concise point-by-point descriptions of philosophical positions and arguments for them. As other reviewers have said Locke is long-winded and often repetitious.
I would recommend this book to people who are in one of several conditions. 1) You are interested in the intellectual history of western thought and and want to read original sources. I think this work should be considered essential for you. It is a pivotal work in western philosophy. 2) You have already read much of philosophy, including metaphysics and epistemology and are looking for a deep dive into one important philosophers views and arguments and you appreciate some dwelling on subjects, even if it includes repetition for the time it gives you to ponder the same subject. 3) You are a student of philosophy and are embarking on advanced study of empiricism. Since Locke is the founder of British empiricism and this book is Locke's major work on the subject, you will want to read this. 3) You just want to have read for yourself one of the classics of English literature and are intellectually tough and patient.
In this book Locke makes the case that we do not have innate ideas. ('Ideas' as used by Locke are essentially 'concepts'.) All ideas are from sensation or reflection, with the reflection using the simple ideas from sensation as its material. Locke explores many implications and applications of that thesis. Among them include an analysis of ideas that breaks them down into simple ideas and those derived from them by modes, combination, relation, etc. He examines the relationship between the ideas reality. How ideas are not the things themselves but produced by the power of things to produce the simple ideas in us. He puts forth a position about what the idea of substance is - how it is not a simple (direct) idea of an actually existing substance, but a collection of ideas that we observe together and the substance is assumed. It helps to understand the concept of substance (refer to descriptions of Aristotle's substance). He also puts forth an interesting thesis about case and effect, desire, will, and liberty, identity, and person. In the end he examines what it means for an idea to be adequate or inadequate and how ideas might relate to the concepts of true and false, with a discussion of how we associate ideas, rightly and wrongly.
June 15, 2020
gut verständlich, wiederholt sich aber oft
June 7, 2023
I read this for the Great Books of the Western World ten-year reading project.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews