John Locke’s Perspective on How We Gain Knowledge and The Exclusion of Innate Ideas

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My aim in this paper is to elucidate Locke’s beliefs in order to portray how I have experienced them in my life thus far. Locke’s ideals that he released to society caused many people in his time to second guess where ideas originate and the foundation of knowledge. A lot of critics arose on this topic of Locke’s interest as well as people who were in agreement with Locke’s views. John Locke’s perspective on how we gain knowledge and the exclusion of innate ideas is a primary way of thinking that can be depicted throughout modern life. I think that if you read and gain a firm understanding of his philosophical standpoint, there should be no reason for you to not come to an agreement with John Locke. An idea is what we perceive immediately, the first thing that pops into mental perception. They are the objects of thinking (Locke, 17). According to Locke, our ideas come from two things: experience, which includes sensation and reflection. Simple ideas arise from our basic sensory experiences and cannot be made up. Reflection, to me is built upon this experience. When you are thinking, believing, doubting and so on, you are able to build upon your outer experience and that is how you come to the conclusion of complex ideas. Even the most complex ideas can be traced back to our original experiences. Without experience we would not be able to gain and expand on our knowledge. We have all been groomed to believe that we are born with instincts or innate ideas. Locke puts this topic into question and does not immediately reject it but does so with evidence. He believes that innate ideas- something that has been there from the beginning- are non existent. His argument that supports this, in Book I of An Essay Concerning Human Understan... ... middle of paper ... ... combining my ideas I retained in memory about the defender and the sensation I felt when she had stopped me from scoring an entire 60 minute game; I was able to than use these ideas of reflection to come up with a plan to beat her, and I was successful. John Locke’s perspective on how we gain knowledge and the exclusion of innate ideas is a primary way of thinking that can be depicted throughout modern life. I think that if you read and fully understand his philosophical standpoint, there should be no reason for you to not come to an agreement with Locke. The way we grow up and the way we view the world is a direct result of our experiences. Works Cited Ariew, Roger, and Eric Watkins. Readings in Modern Philosophy. Indianapolis: Hackett, 2000. Print. Mccarthy, Laura F. "What Babies Learn In the Womb." Parenting. Meredith Corporation, 2014. Web. 23 Apr. 2014.

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