Greg Detre
Monday, 09 October, 2000
North School
3 books he recommends
� Jolie??? - God
� Mackie � Problems of �
� Lowe � Locke on human understanding
Mackie and Lowe subscribe to Locke�s framework
Locke lived in late 17th century. A time of great political turmoil. Locke was interested in the philosophical + scientific developments going on.
Came after Descartes� system, which was dominant and much-discussed. Descartes� system cmae from a series of engagements with skepticism. Also concerned with: how do we get knowledge?
How is Locke different from Descartes?
Ontology. Descartes� ontology is based on the premise that matter cannot sustain thought, therefore there must be something else which can, i.e. the spiritual, mental non-extensible stuff of thought.
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Innate ideas
Descartes = very optimistic + confident epistemologist. There is nothing that a human mind cannot know.
Locke = very modern epistemologist in some ways. Sees limits to human understanding.
Locke trying to construct a better understanding of the mental attitude involved in knowing + knowledge
17th century science
The construction of modern science - Westhall
looking for the fundamental atoms and their shape/structure
How does Locke�s science link in with his philosophy?