Analysis Of John Locke's Essay Concerning Human Understanding

In his “Essay Concerning Human Understanding,” John Locke fights tirelessly to disprove the existence of innate ideas, and instead rallies for the claim that ideas originate from experience. In one argument in particular, Locke elaborates on this by introducing the terms “sensation” and “reflection,” which he defines as two processes that supposedly act as the sources for each idea in the human mind. In a tone which exudes confidence, Locke boldly challenges his reader to locate one idea in their mind which cannot be traced back to either of these mechanisms; and, satisfied that no such feat could be accomplished, he concludes the argument. While it may seem logical and perhaps even perfectly legitimate upon first glance, there are in fact …show more content…
Defined by Locke as the “notice which the mind takes of its own operations,” this mechanism essentially involves considering the mind’s interpretation of the ideas which it already contains, in order to produce new ideas pertaining to the mind itself (205). Similarly to how sensation allowed for the creation of ideas such as heat and cold, so does this new process for ideas including believing, knowing, and willing, which categorize different operations of the mind. For instance, when the mind considers the ideas it already has, it is able to identify groups of ideas which the mind knows or believes in, and is thus able to connect such ideas and form the overall idea of knowing” or “believing,” purely from these internal observations. Locke explains that although this source is entirely internal, it behaves in ways analogous to how the senses interpret external information, and for that reason, this process could possibly be referred to as “internal sense.” Ultimately, though, Locke appropriately terms this process “reflection,” as it can only be completed through the mind’s reflection on its own operations