John Locke's Argument Analysis

Material Things Exist: Locke John Locke was sure of only a couple things. He is sure that our mind consists of ideas and our ideas seem to come from an inside source (“Phil 101 class discussion 9/28/15”). He supposed these inside sources consisted of things like our memories, imaginations, and dreams. Locke was also sure that things came from an outside source that he believed had to occur in that particular moment in time. He called these our “sensations” (Phil 101 class discussion 9/28/15”). One of Locke’s main arguments was whether we can know material objects exist. Based off of what Locke said in his argument, it can be concluded that his argument whether we can know if material things exist, is a strong inductive argument. However, first, …show more content…
He comes to this claim by giving the example of the cold; when cool temperatures are felt, it can be very bothersome, however, the idea of cold does not cause us any problems (“Locke, 186”). Similarly, if you break a bone, it is excruciatingly painful in that particular time, however, the memory of you breaking a bone will not be accompanied with those painful feelings. Locke’s last major premise of his argument states that there are two ways of justifying his idea that material objects could exist. He first claims that his senses can validate one another (“Phil 101 class discussion 9/25/15”). An example of this would be if someone were to look at a car; one would be able to see and hear the car as it passes by. The second claim is that sensations can be validated by other people. So, in other words, other people are able to give you sensations as well as help “corroborate”, as Locke would say, them as well (“Phil 101 class discussion 9/25/15”). So with the example of the car, not only do your senses help support that the car is real, other people who also see and hear the car can help also validate the existence of the car. Likewise, you can see a baby, you can hear a baby, you can smell a baby. If someone else is there witnessing this baby, and receiving those same sensations as well, it can help validate the existence of the baby. From this, as well as all of Locke’s premises that he discussed in this argument, he finally comes to an overall conclusion that material things do in fact exist (“Locke,