Phil 30I W25 Lecture 6.2

INTRODUCTION TO EARLY MODERN PHILOSOPHY

• Course Title: Introduction to Early Modern Philosophy

• Instructor: Matic Kastelec

• University: UC Riverside

• Semester: Winter 2025

LECTURE 6.2: LOCKE AGAINST INNATE IDEAS

• Key Points to Cover:

  • Explain Locke’s arguments against innate ideas

  • Analyze the logical structure of Locke’s arguments

  • Reflect on the nature of our minds and the role of experience in acquiring knowledge

THOUGHT EXPERIMENT

• Scenario of Sensory Deprivation:

  • Imagine a baby raised in complete sensory deprivation (no sight, sound, touch, taste, or smell).

  • Questions:

    • Would this child have any knowledge or concepts?

    • If not, why not?

    • Blind from birth: Could they have an idea of color?

A BLACK AND WHITE WORLD?

• Quote by Locke:

  • Discusses a child raised only seeing black and white; would lack ideas of colors like scarlet or green.

  • Analogous to experiences with certain tastes or flavors (e.g., oysters, pineapples).

JOHN LOCKE (1632-1704)

• Biography:

  • Born in Wrington, England.

  • Attended Christ Church, Oxford; dissatisfied with the curriculum, focused on experimental philosophy and Descartes.

  • Medical training; various roles: physician, political advisor, trade secretary.

  • Exiled to the Netherlands due to political unrest, read Newton’s Principia, and met Huygens.

  • Returned to England post-Glorious Revolution; published significant works (Two Treatises of Government, Letter Concerning Toleration, An Essay Concerning Human Understanding).

• Philosophical Contributions:

  • Empiricism: Knowledge originates from experience.

  • Concept of the mind as tabula rasa (blank slate).

  • Political theories: natural rights, social contract, democracy, classical republicanism, and liberal theory; influenced the US Declaration of Independence.

AIMS OF THE ESSAY

• Objective:

  • To explore the power of knowing, understanding, and its limitations.

• Locke asserts:

  • "To inquire into the original, certainty, and extent of human knowledge; ... grounds and degrees of belief, opinion, and assent."

• Methodology:

  • Epistemological focus rather than metaphysical; historical and plain method to address the origin of ideas and knowledge.

BOOK I, CHAPTER II: NO INNATE PRINCIPLES IN THE MIND

• Locke's Argument Against Nativism:

  • Addressing the belief of innate principles within the mind upon birth.

  • Examples of claimed innate ideas:

    • Mathematical axioms (e.g., “it is impossible for the same thing to be and not to be”).

    • Concepts such as substance, number, duration, infinity, the Golden Rule, God.

INNATENESS AND UNIVERSAL ASSENT

• Arguments Related to Universal Assent:

  1. If innate knowledge exists, then all possess it.

  2. Everyone with knowledge will assent to it.

  3. Conclusion: Therefore, if innate knowledge exists, universal assent must follow.

• Challenge of Nativism's claim of Universal Assent.

A QUICK LOGIC LESSON: DENYING THE CONSEQUENT (MODUS TOLLENS)

• Structure of Valid Reasoning:

  • Format: If P, then Q. Not Q. Therefore, not P.

  • Example: If it’s raining, then the lawn is wet. The lawn is not wet (valid conclusion).

ANOTHER QUICK LOGIC LESSON: THE FALLACY OF AFFIRMING THE CONSEQUENT

• Structure of Invalid Reasoning:

  • Format: If P, then Q. Q. Therefore, P.

  • Example: If it’s raining, then the lawn is wet. The lawn is wet. Therefore, it’s raining (invalid conclusion).

LOCKE’S STRATEGY AGAINST NATIVISM

• Locke's Long-term Approach:

  1. Disprove the existence of universally assented ideas/principles.

  2. Even if universal assent existed, it wouldn’t necessarily imply innate concepts.

• Positive Strategy:

  • Propose that ideas/principles are acquired through experience instead of being innate.

AGAINST NATIVISM 1

• Nativist Claim: Ideas are imprinted on everyone’s soul with universal assent.

• Locke’s Counter-argument:

  • Mention of “children and idiots” who do not recognize these supposed innate ideas.

  • Emphasis on the necessity of idea perception for validity; if not perceived, it’s nonsense.

AGAINST NATIVISM 2

• Nativist Rebuttal: Reason helps discover innate ideas.

• Locke’s Challenge:

  • How does this distinction prove ideas are innate?

• Dilemma:

  • If every idea is innate, it’s an overextension.

  • If ideas are discovered via reason, they can’t be considered innate.

AGAINST NATIVISM 3

• Nativist Claim: Immediate assent upon endowment of reason.

• Locke's Response:

  • Principles emerge gradually; not instantly available, hence innate claims are false.

AGAINST NATIVISM 4

• Nativist Argument: Immediate assent upon understanding.

• Locke's Objection:

  • Even with immediate assent, it doesn’t prove ideas are innate; examples exist that challenge this claim.

UNIVERSAL ASSENT DOESN'T PROVE INNATENESS

• Quote by Locke:

  • Critique of universal assent argument; stating agreement doesn’t equal innateness.

  • Ideas can come from experience, hence they are not inherently innate.

NATIVISM IS DOGMATIC

• Critique of Nativism:

  • Promotes intellectual laziness and suppresses independent thought.

  • Can be used as authority to impose unquestionable truths.

TABULA RASA

• Locke's Proposition:

  • Mind as empty slate at birth; senses allow for the reception of ideas.

  • Mind analogy: "white paper, void of all characters."

SUMMARY

• Locke's Rejection of Nativism:

  • There are no inherent innate ideas or principles universally assented to.

  • Even if universal assent existed, that alone wouldn’t validate innateness.

  • Argues knowledge originates from experience—mind begins as a blank slate.