Name: An Essay Concerning Human Understanding
Author: John Locke
ISBN: 9780198241430

An Essay Concerning Human Understanding

John Locke

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Author Description

No description available.

Menrva's Summary

THE THESIS

This work investigates the origins, certainty, and extent of human knowledge, specifically challenging the doctrine of innate ideas. John Locke, a foundational figure in Enlightenment philosophy, argues that the human mind begins as a blank slate, or tabula rasa, and that all knowledge is derived from sensory experience and reflection. He systematically deconstructs the mechanisms of perception, language, and belief to establish a framework for empirical inquiry.

THE SCOPE MAP

What You Will Find

An analysis of the origin of ideas through sensation and reflection
A critique of innate principles and the nature of human understanding
A classification of simple and complex ideas
An examination of the limits of human knowledge and the role of language

THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE

Experts identify this text as a cornerstone of modern empiricism and a primary influence on the development of Western political thought. Readers frequently note the dense, analytical nature of the prose, which requires careful study to grasp the nuances of Locke's epistemological arguments.

Page Count:
428

Publication Date:
1924-12-01

Publisher:
Oxford University Press

ISBN-10:
0198241437

ISBN-13:
9780198241430

Philosophy

Non-Fiction

Epistemology

Political Philosophy