Ideas are whatever is perceived or understood about something; despite this simple definition, humankind's capacity to acquire and understand these complex thoughts remains a controversy in philosophical literature. As major role models in the foundation of modern philosophy, Descartes and Locke feud over the definition of these ideas, the acquisition of these concepts, and the content of these thoughts. Descartes identifies with a rationalistic view where knowledge is based on innate ideas and these ideas are acquired through reason, whereas Locke believes in empirical explanations which state that ideas are formulated from sensation and experiences with the outside world. In many of Descartes’ works, he emphasizes the importance of recognizing
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In his First Meditation, Descartes presents the three doubts: sensory doubt, dream doubt, and the evil deceiver doubt. He begins his explanation with sensory doubt, stating, “I have noticed that the senses are sometimes deceptive; and it is a mark of prudence never to place our complete trust in those what have deceived us even once” (Descartes, Meditations on First Philosophy, 18-19). Descartes believes that sensory experiences can be illusory, especially in situations that are novel and fleeting; however, this doubt must be overcome as to not trust the senses sometimes would lead to insanity. The dream doubt, Descartes argues, arises from the occasional impossibility of differentiating reality and dream, but there are certain eternal truths that withstand dream and reality and remain constant in all states of consciousness. Finally, Descartes speculates the evil deceive doubt, contemplating if there is a powerful God and contending that introspection and the acquisition of the three types of ideas prove God’s existence and goodness. These ideas are further discussed in his Third Meditation where, “Among these ideas, some appear to me to be innate, some adventitious, and some produced by my. For I understand what a thing is, what truth is, what thought is, and I appear to have derived this …show more content…
Despite his avid condemnation of their existence, Locke agrees with Descartes on the definition of innate ideas as predisposed truths before birth. Locke differentiates between innate ideas - simple concepts and the basic unit of thought - and innate principles - complex statements formulated from ideas, either those practical or speculative (Locke, On Innate Speculative Principles, 1-2). Through his Argument of Universal Consent, Locke falsifies the innate idea and principle hypothesis presented by Descartes. Locke begins by contemplating that if innate ideas prevail, then there exist universal principles for all humans. However, he argues that sentiments accepted in academia are “far from being accepted by everyone [and] have never even been heard by a great part of mankind” (Locke, On Innate Speculative Principles, 4). Locke refutes the notion that humans are born with complete understanding of the innate principles, as it is evident that not all people can achieve the same complex rationale that is acquired with reason. Children and those mentally disabled cannot have the same understanding as others, though they do have the capacity to obtain ideas and understand complexities through their sensation and experience
In his First Meditation, Descartes presents the three doubts: sensory doubt, dream doubt, and the evil deceiver doubt. He begins his explanation with sensory doubt, stating, “I have noticed that the senses are sometimes deceptive; and it is a mark of prudence never to place our complete trust in those what have deceived us even once” (Descartes, Meditations on First Philosophy, 18-19). Descartes believes that sensory experiences can be illusory, especially in situations that are novel and fleeting; however, this doubt must be overcome as to not trust the senses sometimes would lead to insanity. The dream doubt, Descartes argues, arises from the occasional impossibility of differentiating reality and dream, but there are certain eternal truths that withstand dream and reality and remain constant in all states of consciousness. Finally, Descartes speculates the evil deceive doubt, contemplating if there is a powerful God and contending that introspection and the acquisition of the three types of ideas prove God’s existence and goodness. These ideas are further discussed in his Third Meditation where, “Among these ideas, some appear to me to be innate, some adventitious, and some produced by my. For I understand what a thing is, what truth is, what thought is, and I appear to have derived this …show more content…
Despite his avid condemnation of their existence, Locke agrees with Descartes on the definition of innate ideas as predisposed truths before birth. Locke differentiates between innate ideas - simple concepts and the basic unit of thought - and innate principles - complex statements formulated from ideas, either those practical or speculative (Locke, On Innate Speculative Principles, 1-2). Through his Argument of Universal Consent, Locke falsifies the innate idea and principle hypothesis presented by Descartes. Locke begins by contemplating that if innate ideas prevail, then there exist universal principles for all humans. However, he argues that sentiments accepted in academia are “far from being accepted by everyone [and] have never even been heard by a great part of mankind” (Locke, On Innate Speculative Principles, 4). Locke refutes the notion that humans are born with complete understanding of the innate principles, as it is evident that not all people can achieve the same complex rationale that is acquired with reason. Children and those mentally disabled cannot have the same understanding as others, though they do have the capacity to obtain ideas and understand complexities through their sensation and experience