Cory Palmer

Philosophy 1000
Professor Drexler

Twitter Philosophy

Summary of An Essay Concerning the Human Condition.

In An Essay Concerning Human Understanding Locke argues that we should

reject the Cartesian claim that certain knowledge or ideas are innate, or imprinted on

our minds. Locke doesnt believe that at birth we have knowledge or ideas in our minds

about concepts like God, instead Locke presents to us tabula rasa as an alternative to

the Cartesian claim of imprints on our minds.

Tabula rasa means a blank slate, nothing on it. Locke compares the mind to a

white sheet of paper without any writing on it. Instead of us having certain innate ideas

or imprints on our minds, we gain understanding and perception through experience

and sensation. At birth our minds are like a blank sheet of paper, free of marks or

writing, and as we gain experience and knowledge our minds will perceive, and turn into

a paper with writing imprinted on it.

Twitter Statement

The mind is not born with innate ideas, it is a blank slate that is then imprinted on with
experience and memories. #Tabularasa #Universalassent #Knowledge
#Tabularasa - The definition of tabula rasa is an absence of preconceived ideas or

predetermined goals; a clean slate. John Locke compares the human mind to that of a blank slate

or a blank sheet of paper, free from any marks, thoughts, or ideas. Let us suppose the mind to

be, as we say, a blank tablet (tabula rasa) of white paper, void of all characters, without any

ideas; how comes it to be furnished?...To this I answer in one word, from experience: in that all

our knowledge is founded, and from that it ultimately derives itself. (John Locke pg. 151).

#Universalassent - One of the arguments that John Locke makes against innate ideas is that if we

were born with certain ideas or concepts already imprinted into our minds then why dont we

have universal assent? If everyone was born with these ideas there would be certain truths that

would be accepted unto mankind. Universal Consent proves nothing innate - This argument

drawn from universal consent, has this misfortune in it, that if it were true in matter of fact that

there were certain truths wherein all mankind agreed, it would not prove them innate, if there can

be any other way shown how men may come to that universal agreement in the things they do

consent in, which I presume may be done. (John Locke pg. 150).