Book II

E58312

Book II is the section of John Locke’s "An Essay Concerning Human Understanding" in which he develops his influential theory that all human ideas originate from experience, particularly through sensation and reflection.


Statements (46)
Predicate Object
instanceOf book section
analyzes complex ideas
modes
relations
simple ideas
substances
arguesAgainst innate principles
associatedWith Locke’s theory of personal identity
author John Locke
claims all human ideas originate from experience
there are no innate ideas
clarifies difference between external and internal experience
containedInWorkBy John Locke
countryOfOrigin England
developsView mind as initially a blank slate (tabula rasa)
distinguishesBetween simple ideas and complex ideas
emphasizes experience as the source of all ideas
examines consciousness
identity and diversity
perception
personal identity
power
volition
explains ideas of reflection
ideas of sensation
focusesOn cognitive processes of understanding
psychological origin of ideas
genre philosophical treatise section
historicalSignificance foundational text for modern empiricist theories of knowledge
influenced early modern epistemology
later empiricist philosophers
introducesConcept ideas as objects of the understanding
language English
mainTopic empiricism
origin of ideas
sensation and reflection
theory of ideas
partOf An Essay Concerning Human Understanding
philosophicalDiscipline epistemology
philosophy of mind
philosophicalTradition British empiricism
positionInWork second book of An Essay Concerning Human Understanding
sourceOf Locke’s influential theory of ideas
states all ideas are derived from sensation or reflection
timePeriod 17th century
workTitle Book II: Of Ideas

Referenced by (1)
Subject (surface form when different) Predicate
An Essay Concerning Human Understanding
hasPart

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