Locke's Essay Concerning Human Understanding cover art

Locke's Essay Concerning Human Understanding

Locke's Essay Concerning Human Understanding

Listen for free

View show details

About this listen

The third of the "British Empiricists" is John Locke, also known for his political philosophy and his Treatises on Government (check out our episode on the second treatise). Locke's Essay Concerning Human Understanding, presented here in excerpts, explores the origins and nature of human knowledge. Locke argues against the existence of innate ideas, proposing instead that all knowledge stems from sensory experience (sensation) and reflection on mental processes. He details various types of ideas, including simple and complex ideas, modes, substances, and relations, analyzing their formation and potential for error. The text also discusses the nature of personal identity, free will, and morality, ultimately aiming to establish a framework for understanding the limits and capabilities of human understanding.

No reviews yet
In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.