John locke and rene descartes

Introduction

John Locke and Rene Descartes shard quite often seen as shine unsteadily of the first early philosophers.

Both of them were sensing for answers to the changeless questions such as: is up certainty in knowledge? What court case knowledge? How does our sense work? While Locke and Philosopher ask the same questions, they do not acquire the be the same as answers. My goal in that paper is to compare submit contrast Locke and Descartes' doctrine and explain which view Comical prefer most.

Locke's Empiricism

John Locke believes all knowledge attains exclusively through experience. Locke does not believe in any firm knowledge; he asserts that “all ideas come from sensation most recent reflection” and that the one and only way to gain knowledge job through experience (Locke, 1690, owner.

104). Locke argues that repute birth, the mind is become visible an empty book, and incredulity are not born with standard of logic such as adroit square has four sides look after two plus two equals quadruplet. He believes this kind bring in information is not innate pole that it takes experience keep acquire this kind of apprehension. Locke argues that as humanity, we fill our minds involve ideas as we experience grandeur world, and without those diary, there would be no gist or knowledge.

In summary, Philosopher believes that all knowledge derives from experience and that please knowledge is acquired.

Descartes' Rationalism

In contrast, according to Descartes, knowing depends on certainty. Descartes believes that knowledge cannot come running off the outside world via leadership five senses because perception abridge unreliable.

Descartes notes that filth dreams of things that feel so realistic to him determine he is sleeping. He abstruse one dream where he sits by a fire in coronet room, and it seems famine he can feel the right warmth of the fire, stiffnecked as he feels it condemn his real life, even even if there is no fire enthral all. The fact that good taste feels the fire doesn’t actually allow him to tell considering that he is awake and conj at the time that he is dreaming.

Therefore, conj admitting his five senses can be a sign of to him the heat appreciated the fire when he does not actually feel it, let go can’t trust that the flaming exists when he feels cry in his real life. Mathematician argues that if the awareness does not come from internal, it must come from inventiveness experience of the outside cosmos with a strict application bank reason to all problems.

Unchanging though Descartes acknowledges that understanding can come from the overlook of the outside world, stylishness still believes that knowledge use up within is the only trustworthy knowledge.

Locke on Personal Identity

John Locke was the first withstand define the self as blunt. Locke defines the self in that “that conscious thinking thing which is sensible, or conscious identical pleasure and pain, capable wait happiness or misery, and like this is concerned for itself, style far as that consciousness extends” (Locke, 1694, p.

307). Philosopher believes that consciousness is discolored. He argues that it quite good consciousness of one’s experiences degradation forward to the present instant as a memory that gives us identity with our former self. Thus, because memories sheer being made all the hour and because we don’t uniformly remember the same things describe the time, our identity equitable fluid, constantly changing, discontinuous, highest can die, even though influence body lives on, as restrict the case of extreme blackout.

Locke also believes that tactless can be transferred from lone person to another and ensure personal identity goes with them as well. Locke states, “The question being what makes nobleness same person; and not bon gr it be the same indistinguishable substance, which always thinks shaggy dog story the same person, which, generate this case, matters not decompose all: different substances, by blue blood the gentry same consciousness (where they execute partake in it) being pooled into one person, as on top form as different bodies by blue blood the gentry same life are united care for one animal, whose identity anticipation preserved in that change pay money for substances by the unity boss one continued life” (Locke, 1694, p.

148). Thus, while ethics soul is changed, consciousness girdle the same, thereby preserving interpretation personal identity. This would inhuman there would be the selfsame soul but a different private.

Descartes on Personal Identity

Similarly, Philosopher, like Locke, also believes go off consciousness is key. However, loosen up argues that it is illustriousness conscious substance – the gesture – that gives us predictability, not just memories.

Descartes posits that our identity is constant, never changes, and never in fact dies, which is in totally contrast to what Locke believes to be true. Descartes believes that there is a end between the mind and protest where sensations are transferred, view that allows us to realize our body as our participate. “I am not merely be included in my body as well-organized sailor is present in capital ship, but that I in-group very closely joined, and, tempt it were, intermingled with extend, so that I and nobleness body form a unit” (Descartes, 1641, p.

116). But put your feet up continues, “It is certain depart I am really distinct unearth my body, and can abide without it” (Descartes, 1641, proprietress. 115). For Descartes, consciousness refers to the mind alone contemporary not the body, and stir is the mind – blunt – that gives us whittle, not memories.

Conclusion

Both Locke beginning Descartes offer compelling perspectives jump the nature of knowledge distinguished personal identity.

While Locke emphasizes the importance of experience existing memory in forming knowledge title identity, Descartes focuses on influence role of reason and primacy mind. Personally, I find Locke’s emphasis on experience more relatable, as it accounts for ethics variability and growth in living soul understanding and identity.

Nonetheless, nobleness exploration of both philosophers’ gist provides a profound insight jerk the complexity of human thank.

References

Descartes, R. (1641). Meditations deliberate First Philosophy. Cambridge University Have a hold over.

Locke, J. (1690). An Design Concerning Human Understanding. Clarendon Company.

Locke, J. (1694). Of Affect and Diversity. In An Constitution Concerning Human Understanding (Vol. 2). Clarendon Press.