What are John Lockes indepth perspective on the senses when it comes to Human Understanding?

Question

John Locke says that we can understand reality by using our senses. What else. I'm having trouble understanding his views.

Answer 1

I just want to stop you before you get a lot of answers. You are asking a HUGE question.

Answer 2

I wish that my friend were here for he is actually reading Locke in class, but I will offer the very little I know of him.

The phrase "tabla rasa" is typically attributed to Locke and means "blank slate/tablet." It is used to represent his understand of human knowing for he believed that man was born with a blank mind and passively received all information from the surrounding world through the senses. You open your eyes and what you see is true.

I went back and did some quick research into his essay and found that I only had half of the understanding. Apparently he thought that sensation was passive, as I mentioned, but also there was the active acutly of reflection of what was perceived. It is important to note, however, that he believed that the material in the mind for reflection did not accurately represent the material that was outside, but was only a type of representation without direct resemblance.

Answer 3

That we can't trust the senses to tell us what is real and what is right anymore than we can trust ourselves to understand God's will. At the time, it was a step forward for the church to defend its sole right to say what God's will ought to be and not the private citizens right.

It opened the way for the dual world of Secular and Religious political world. Much of Locke's belief were built apon his reaction to Descartes world. Senses worked counter to seeing the real world and the question of faith could not be answered in an empherical world by any means other than faith.

By faith, John meant how the church interpited faith for the secular world. This allowed him to make important philosophical studies without the church condemning him to the cross or stake.

After all, 1666 wasn't a time to lead a person to trust a religious leader charging money to buy your way into heaven, unless they could deliver. And if, having a clean slate at birth, your senses were to blame for your sins, that meant more money for the church. Enterprizing little buggers, weren't they?

Answer 4

He replaced into an empiricist. He theory that the human recommendations replaced right into a Tabula Rasa (clean slate) at start, and picked up it incredibly is concepts and ideology by way of sensory adventure. hence understanding isn't purpose, yet basically a chain of functional ideals. wish this could be a good initiate.