Locke Vs Descartes - Lecture notes - Dr Harrington\'s lecture involved the discussion of the similarities PDF

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Lecture notes - Dr Harrington's lecture involved the discussion of the similarities and differences between Locke and Descartes' views....

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Philosophy notes 10/22/2018 Locke versus Descartes Locke: ! "

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Likes Descartes ideas, but is not persuaded that he has the kinds of ideas

Descartes thinks you need to have in order to understand science ! "

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Believes that if you haven’t met something with experience, you can’t have a

good idea as to what it is! "

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Ex: Understands power and cause and effect because he can move his own

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Wants to figure out how to explain human ability to understand the world by

arm.! "

starting from the inside —> psychology —> How does thinking work? What do you notice when you think? —> The first thing he notices is experience ! "

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TABULA RASA THEORY aka BLANK SLATE !

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1. Descartes is not claiming that there are innate principles so much as

innate ideas! "

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Distinction between innate idea and innate speculative principle !

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Do the work/Meditations - start with doubt - cat just read the meditations,

have to do them —> Takes an act of will to keep that kind of focus and reflection ! "

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Difference between bringing to the conscious awareness or giving a new

experience ! "

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*Unconsious ideas - The big problem with the developmental story of innate

ideas is that it requires you to have ideas that you aren’t aware of - the baby knows god exists but does not know that they know that god exists —> If you have an idea that isn’t being thought, it can’t be an idea —> It’s nothing - no direct evidence for the existence of innate ideas!...