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John Locke was a young boy born to a country lawyer in Wrighton. He lived between the years (1632-1704).His parents were two Puritans of meek means. His father worked during the trying times of the early English civil war stages. At that time, a good education was for a select group. The young John was privileged to attend Westminster School, a good school in London after his father’s commanders became a local MP at that time. This was in the year 1647. The school that Locke was sent to is viewed as a major source of intellectual hub during the seventeenth century. Locke according to Woolhouse (23) was an intellectual in the seventeen century.
After acquiring his education, according to Kemerling (par.2) John Locke went ahead to become one of the greatest philosophers ever to have lived or born in Europe. The political and intellectual situation at the time was a little odd. The century was characterized by many conflicts. The conflicts ranged from those of parliament and crown to those between the various religious denominations. Some of the denominations that were in conflict were the Protestants, the Anglicans and the Catholics. This gave John a religious, constitutional, political, economic and educational insight of the then times. According to Aldrich (2) was closely connected with a great politician of that time. He worked as a tutor to the politician’s son and as the medical adviser to the family. In 1683, Locke went to the Netherlands to escape the then political environment of his hometown. Five years later, he returned to England. Upon his return, he began to support the new regime and turned down an offer by the ruler to take up an ambassador’s post. The offers were short from over when he received that of being the Commissioner of Appeal and that of the new post by then of a Council of Trade as stated by Aldrich (2). Locke had to wait until the 1690’s to publish his long prepared works. These works included writings like the letter that concerned toleration, this letter was written in 1689; then he wrote an essay that was concerned human understanding later in the year 1690, in 1690 what followed suit was a writing outlining the two treatises of government. He also wrote books that enhance his reputation as a modern educator commonly known as “thoughts” as stated by Aldrich (1).
The focus that this paper will tackle is the essay that concerns human understanding. The essay has various concepts that relate to religion and science. Moral science was a major point of interest to the philosophers of the period that Locke was alive. The essay as stated by Aldrich (4) was a product of a discussion of Locke with some of his friends. The philosophers differed in reasoning and Locke came up with a point of inquiry. The inquiry was ‘to examine our own abilities, and see what objects our understanding were, or were not, fitted to deal with’ (Kemerling 1).
The essay had many themes but the major one according to Aldrich (4) was that we ought to seek for knowledge beyond what the human life demands of us. He did acknowledge the mystery behind the existence of God, and the knowledge behind the existence of human beings and the material things that surround them. He made it known that the human faculties are limited to their perception of the existence of a supreme being. The perception that human behavior should hold some accountability to God and the hope of a much better form of existence beyond this life makes the thought tied down to a limited state of reasoning.
Locke acknowledges, according to Aldrich (4) that at birth every individual has a mind that is as a ‘white paper void of all characters’.
Let us then suppose the Mind to be, as we say, white Paper, void of all Characters, without any Ideas; How comes it to be furnished? Whence comes it by that vast store, which the busy and boundless Fancy of Man has painted on it, with an almost endless variety? Whence has it all the materials of Reason and Knowledge? To this, I answer in one word, From Experience: In that, all our Knowledge is founded; and from that, it ultimately derives itself’ (Kemerling par. 2).
This means that it is a form of blank space that needs to be filled up. This statement has often been inferred to mean that he views all humans as equals at the beginning. This is not the case since Locke expresses through his writings that there were different types of human personalities and varied physical capabilities and mental capabilities expressed by the human race and he was fast to connect this traits with the nature process that is prevalent as compared to tying down the traits to nurture.
Locke wrote in the essay that there are two types of ideas namely simple and complex ideas. He explained ideas according to Banach (par. 1) as the objects of one’s thought and understanding that exist in the human mind. Locke claims that when an individual thinks, visualizes or at times ponders on a thought the focus is mostly laid on the ideas produced. He also claims that experience is the key installer of ideas. The existence of innate ideas is nullified to him. This means that no particular individual is born knowing. The experiences obtains were further expressed in two forms by Locke as stated by Banach (par. 1). These two forms include sensation and reflection.” These are ideas of external sensible objects conveyed to us by the senses: yellow, white, hot and cold” (Banach, par. 2). The latter statement describes the sensation experience. The Sensation experience is triggered by external objects and they vary from color to temperature. On the other hand, Reflection is an internal operation that is experienced by the human mind all across races and locations. They include the ability to doubt, expression of willingness to do something and thinking among the human race. Reflection is wholly based on the human perception. In explaining the concept of reflection, Locke examines some aspects of the human mind such as the ability to retain acquired information and bring it forth when required also known as memory, discerning which is the ability to distinguishing among the many ideas that cross our minds was also considered, there was also comparison which helps one to tell apart the ideas of one’s mind which at times seem similar. Then there was compounding which is the ability to manufacture any new and complex ideas out of the simple components that are presented to the human mind. The last yet not least aspect is abstracting which is the ability to make general use of the ideas.
Then there is the concept as drawn by Locke that the obtained ideas of the human mind are also in two forms. His forms are primary and secondary qualities of a sensation idea. It is also important according Locke as stated by (Locke(b) 29) to be able to tell apart the primary quality of sensations which were objective in their cause from the secondary sensations which were more subjective in their nature and effect. The primary qualities included aspects such as figure, solidarity and motion while secondary qualities included color for example. The primary quality is more attached to the inseparable features of an object. The secondary qualities are more focused on the power of an object for example to create an idea or more than one idea.
These two basic types of ideas are simple and complex. In the simple category, an idea is viewed to have one appearance or meaning upon conception in the mind, according to Banach (par. 1). The complex idea on the other hand is viewed to house more than one conception to the human race. According to Banach (par. 4), the simple ideas fall in four major types. The first is viewing the simple ideas from one sense. This sense may be exhibited in form of various aspects namely Noise, taste, light, heat, solidity, smell and texture. These are mostly the secondary aspects of most objects. The second way of classifying the ideas is from more than one single sense. The aspects involved in this case include traits like extension, rest, space, motion and figure. These are the predominant primary properties of an object. The third approach is the view of the idea from reflection only. The involved aspects are belief, perception and willingness to do something. The final approach is observing the idea from both a sensation and reflective aspect. The aspects housed in this approach include pleasure and pain, unity that exists among people, power and authority that is exercised in the human society (Locke(a) 46).
The complex ideas are also broken down into three parts. The complex idea may exist in these types. The first form is the ideas of mode. The ideas here do not posses its own source but are a combination to form a new meaning. There are also in two types namely simple and mixed.
Next, he argues on substance which “represents distinct and particular things” (Jackson 19).They are then divided into two aspects namely single and collective. The single’s example includes man while the collective example is an army or school of fish. Idea concerning relationship forms the third type in his argument. It arises from the comparison of one idea to the next.
There are three methods of coming up with complex ideas. These methods include combination, abstraction and relation. Combination involves mixing of various ideas to come up with a single word. Another way is the creation of relation between ideas presented to the human mind. The third method is abstraction, which means drawing a property from many presented ideas.
There is need for humans to determine what they know from these ideas. They need to analyze both the logical and metaphysical value of the ideas. The logical value of the idea involves the assessment of the level of agreement or disagreement of ideas when compared to one another the comparison according to (The Radical Academy, par 11) as stated by Locke can be either intuitive or demonstrative. The mind relates and tells apart the relationship between objects and ideas presented to it.
Metaphysical Value of Ideas involves the ability to analyze the logic of an idea is limited to the consciousness of the individual. The mind often is quick to link the relationship between the ideas but there is an end to the thinking. There is need also to think outside the box. The outside the box thought are meant to explain and affirm the existence of external things all around the human race. Locke did in fact admit to the fact that: “It is evident the mind knows not things immediately, but only by intervention of the ideas it has of them (Locke & Popple 6)
Locke believed that one could easily break the ties of the ring of subjectivism. The ring involved the limitation of the thoughts to a certain level. He also made claims that the object of metaphysics had three forms of existence. These forms are namely our own being, the surrounding external world, and the Supreme Being also known as God. He wrote in his essays “We have knowledge of our own existence by intuition; of the existence of God by demonstration; and of other things by sensation,” (Radical Academy par. 9). This is a clear indicator that Locke was a rational thinker and did not shut out the existence of more supreme beings.
This portion of the paper will focus on the proofs behind the existence of the three realities as suggested by Locke himself. Locke claims,
Our knowledge of our own existence is intuitive as for our own existence, we perceive it so plainly and so certainly that it neither needs nor is capable of any proof. For nothing can be more evident to us than our own existence. I think, I reason, I feel pleasure and pain: can any of these be more evident to me than my own existence? If I doubt of all other things, that very doubt makes me perceive my own existence, and will not suffer doubt of that….Experience, then, convinces us that we have an intuitive knowledge of our own existence” (Locke(a) 34).
We discover therefore, our existence through reflection, which only discloses the operational, or activities that occur to us rather than the actual existence in terms of our soul also known as substance existence. He acknowledges that the soul as substance acts, as a focal point of holding things together but it is in itself a mysterious immaterial and spiritual reality in the human society.
Locke then starts to explore the existence of the Supreme Being or as commonly known: God. In the event of trying to explain the source or origin of the human, race the concept of the existence of a much higher persona who runs the system under which man exists. With regards to the existence of God he wrote (Radical Academy par. 9) “Man knows by an intuitive certainty that bare nothing can no more produce any real being than it can be equal to two right angles….If, therefore, we know there is some real being, and that nonentity cannot produce any real being, it is an evident demonstration that from eternity there has been something; since what was not from eternity had a beginning, and what had a beginning must be produced by something else….” Thus from the consideration of ourselves, and what we infallibly find in our own constitutions, our reason leads us to the knowledge of this certain and evident truth, that there is an eternal, most powerful, and most knowing Being” (Radical Academy par. 11). This statement indicates according to McLachlan, Hugh, (1941) Locke’s perception of God. God, according to Locke resulted more due to the need for a principle to blame and accord all the causes of nature that are beyond the human comprehension. Through the analysis of the human consciousness, he enhances the idea that the reference of God as a principle of causality is mostly based on the human activity of their thoughts and ideas making this concept from a logical frame of reference. The concept according to him does not guarantee the existence of the principle beyond the human reality thus to the eternal reality since the source is more tied to logical aspects. According to Chappell (39), there are is need to internalize the knowledge being every human idea that is passed.
Locke then discussed the existence of things around us. The human race according to Locke experiences submissive feeling in relation to the sensations that originate from outside them. For this to take place, the external things must be dependent on factors that are not related to the person involved. The knowledge that was established then undergoes a reduction. This reduction is to the level of primary knowledge that is of an objective manner. The natures of the complex ideas that result from this according to Locke do not necessarily bring to light the real nature of the ideas.
In conclusion, there are many things taken for granted by the human race such as the existence of principles. This principle exists in two forms namely speculative and practical. It is universally agreed upon by all humans that there are various constant impressions that the soul expresses. “It is true that men receive in their first beings and which they bring into the world with them, as necessarily and really as they do any of their inherent faculties,” (Locke & Laslett 23). The human mind according to Aaron and Gibb (93) as stated to Locke does carry out some intellectual operations that involve perception, retention, discerning, comparing, composition, naming and abstraction. He also identifies the human mind as plain at birth and all the traits related with humans are acquired through experiences. The human mind operates based on ideas. The experiences as stated by Uzgalis (par 14) are broken down in relation to the way they are sourced or from their objects. The two types are sensational and reflective. The ideas are then broken down to either simple or complex. The two base their existence eon the meaning they bring to the mind or their perception. It is therefore justified to claim that John Locke was a key core founder of the advanced philosophical principles and practices that are currently taking place in the world. His works are largely used in the day to day study of the relations and links between concepts such as science and religion and the development of education backdated to his tutoring days in the early seventeen century. He is indeed a great input into the development of the human race’s future and understanding of their existence.
Works Cited
Aaron, Richard, and Gibb, Jocelyn. An Early Draft of Locke’s Essay, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1936
Aldrich, Richard UNESCO: International Bureau of Education), vol. 24, no. 1/2, 1994, p. 61–76.UNESCO: International Bureau of Education, 1999
Banach, David. Locke on Idea, 2006. Web.
Chappell, Vere. Essays on Early Modern Philosophy, John Locke — Theory of Knowledge, London: Garland Publishing, Inc, 1992
Kemerling, Garth. A Guide to John Locke’s Essay concerning Human Understanding, 1999. Web.
Locke, John., & Popple, W. Essay concerning human understanding. A letter concerning toleration. Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica, 1955.
Locke, John. (a) An essay concerning human understanding. New York: Dover Publications, 1959
Locke, John. (b) The correspondence of john Locke. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1976-1989
Locke, John & Laslett, P. Two treatises of government. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1988.
McLachlan, Hugh. Religious Opinions of Milton, Locke and Newton, Manchester, Manchester University Press, 1941
The Radical Academy. The Philosophy of John Locke, 1998. Web.
Woolhouse, Scott. Locke : A biography. Cambridge. New York: Cambridge UniversityUzgalis, William. Locke’s Essay Concerning Human Understanding: A reader’s Guide (Continuum), 2007. Web.
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