Book 2 ch. 8

How does the mind have an understand of the object?

Object (Objective feature: Independant of any experience consciousness) causes Idea of a certain thing (ex: white, cold, round-- Snow Ball) Subjective feature: Depenedance on some experience of consciousness.

Objects have power to produce.

Primary: Solidity, extension (take up space) mobility figure (utterly inseperable)

Secondary: Controversial *colors, tastes, sounds*
Not in the object but caused by insensible parts- secondary qualities does resemble insensible part of the object.

Primary is more simple than secondary it could be just the basic facts about an object. But the secondary goes more complex and descriptive about the figure.

Chapter XXI - Power

"The mind being every day informed, by the senses, of the alteration of those simple ideas it observes in things without, and taking notice how one comes to an end and ceases to be, and another begins to exist which was not before.."

This is the opening of the chapter about power. This is saying that the mind always feels different senses and they are always changing what you are thinking about. It says existing ideas can be replaced by new ideas. The ideas that are pre-existing still try to be known and out of these ideas there are the new ones that are trying to be understood by the mind.

Chapter VII. Of simple ideas of both sensation and reflection

Reading this section, I came about that Locke is saying our ideas reflects our bodies whether its pain or pleasure...The same ideas that causes our pleasure ,pain is usually produced by the same ideas and objects....Ideas will always effect our bodies...when we think it has a connection to our bodies which gives us an reaction or feeling...For example when u are proud of yourself or think you did good, that is pleasure to your body and when you feel you have done wrong that is pain to your body...No matter what u think its always going to cause a sensation...thats my opinion...whenever i think i feel a certain way about what im thinking...i think thats what locke is trying to say...im not sure any opinions.....

Book One, Chapter One.3.Method

I think in this section..he is trying to explain to how to find the truth in our ideas, opinions and what we know...He came about with three steps or ways into figuring it out....He explains how we have to figure out how we got those ideas(what caused us to have those ideas). Then find the certainty and evidence of those ideas. Third, examine everthing..I agree with his method, because in order to figure out if something is true is evidence. But then again im not to, sure because who is to say the evidence is true...so a lot of what we think we know may not be true...because a lot of what is thought of or learn is passed on, so it may be different from its original point.

Existence of Power - Locke

"..the possibility of having any of its simple ideas changed, and in another the possibility of making that change; and so comes by that ideas which we call "power."


I found this section of the book to be very interesting. Locke feels that they’re two different types of powers, active and passive. He feels that God is above all passive power. Descarte also relates to the topic of power. In the previous readings, Descarte has a hard time trying to figure out why he is imperfect and cannot hold all of the powers and traits of God.

In the quote listed above, I feel that Locke is explaining how power can change a person’s view on things. A person can be very influenced by a person with power. This also clashes with Descartes 'Four Rules.' One rule which states something along the lines of never just believing what you hear. Is Locke trying to say that even if you follow these 4 rules.. it wouldnt make a difference if someone with power gets involved?

Locke- "Imperialist"

Locke believed that ideas were caused by the objects in the world. Everything comes from sensations and reflection.
The impact of Locke's views were in bk 2 ch. 1 Locke says reflection is derivited sensation and is the central activity of the mind. He says reflection really does not matter.

This part of Locke's thinking I believe because in contrast Des Cartes always asks the crazy questions of questioning his existance. I can understand Locke's ideas about everything coming from sensation and reflection of worldly objects.

Another question Locke asks is does the mind always think? Locke doesn't think the mind always thinks. When you sleep he says you go into different mental states.

His ideas contrast with Des Cartes who says you are always thinking. I am for once on the side of Descartes because like we said in class aren't we all in someway conscious even in our sleep. We're always dreaming and if something is bothering many times you have dreams about it.

Existence

"I think God has given me assurance enough of the existence of things without me; since, by their different applications, I can produce in myself both pleasure and pain."


In Chapter XL, Locke does not only question the existence of God, but is now questioning the existence of other things. I feel that Locke is trying to say that man himself, does not know if an object truly exists. God gave man the idea of existence. "God with the existence of any particular man, no particular man can know the existence of any other being." If it wasnt for God, man wouldn't know about the existence of objects because God is the one who gave man the idea of existence.

LOCKE-Book II chapter XIX Modes of thinking

Locke begins this chapter by saying the modes of thinking includes sensation, remembrance, and contemplation.

The first mode happens when you contemplate your own actions of life. He also says perception accompanies the impressions that are shown on the body by an object. This makes sensation distinct from the other different modes.

Remembrance is the just about the same as sensation except it is not constantly shown externally. It is reoccured in the mind. ex- recollection of when you went through something painful.

Contemplation is when something is thought about for a long period of time/a considerization.

I found Locke's idea of sensation is explained in a confusing way. He uses contemplation in it and I can also see where remembrance can be referred back to it . I think it could be explained and told more clear like he did for remembrance and contemplation. I found those descriptions more simpler and easy to follow.

Method -Locke

"It is necessary that man should find out some external sensible signs, whereby those invisible ideas which his thoughts are made up of might be made known to others."


This part in the book reminds me of Descartes theory "The Method." Even though Locke is discussing primarily communication, it shows a connection between the two. Descarte mainly focuses on method when it comes to thinking or following the rules of "life" almost. Locke on the other hand, targets in on the method when it comes to communication. The quote above reminded me of something Descarte would say. Reasons for this would be because Locke is questioning his own thoughts. A thought which is inside someones head.. is invisible to others- but how does someone know that others do not already know that "invisible" thought? I feel that Descarte believes that a thought is what occurs first in the mind, whereas with Locke, he believes that something triggers a thought to occur.

Locke-Chapter I- Introduction

I think this pertains to Method- Locke explains how we as people know what we are capable of doing. In paragraph 6 he says and when we have well surveyed the powers of our own mind, and made some estimate what we may expect from them, we shall not be inclined either to sit still....I think he is saying if you know your capabilities and the use of your, go to the extent in using it since you have those capabilities.

Locke-Book 2-Chapter II:Of Simple Ideas

I think Locke has a better understanding and a better way of explaining ideas. In the beginning he is not justifying ideas on if they are right or wrong like Descartes is doing. He explains how some are simple and some are complex. I like how he explained that ideas effect our senses which I agree, at times they do. When you think anout something it may effect you senses beacause its on your mind and usually you react to the way you think.

Locke- Gods Existence

"We are capable of knowing certainly that there is a God."

In Chapter X, I feel that Locke relates himself a lot to Descartes. Both philosophers feel that every though there is no proof of God, they both believe in him without question. Locke states in this section that just because people are ignorant toward the subject of God is no reason to ignore it. I found interesting how Locke says "..he has so plentifully provided us with the means to discover and know him, so far as is necessary to the end of our being." By reading this quote, I feel that Locke has to believe in God because he feels that God wants people to discover him. Even though God has no "witnesses" or any real truths that anyone knows of, just the idea that God is part of our lives until the day we die truly shows that God is certainly something.

Modes of Thinking- Locke

"Hence it is probable that thinking is the action, not essence, of the soul."

This quote really grabbed my attention. Locke is questioning the idea of thinking. In Descartes Discourse, he does the same as well. When first reading this section, I initially felt that Locke was trying to almost separate the whole idea of thinking with the body/mind. But as I read on, I am starting to feel that the problem Locke is having is, by taking action in things is not truly what the soul wants to be doing. I came to this conclusion because of the word "essence" in the quote above. When using the word essence in philosophy, it usually means something along the lines of the inward nature, true substance or constitution of something. As I started to pick apart the quote, I found that the quote could possibly state something like "..thinking is the action, not the true substance/inward nature of the soul."

LOCKE- Mind Capability

Book II looks into going through many things that our minds can do some include:
-questioning our own ideas- asking yourself it they are good enough?
-remembering ideas
-Deciding what makes ideas different
-comparing ideas to one another
-combining simple ideas to make one complex idea
-pulling simples ideas out of a complex idea

Locke makes it a point to share that our minds have the ability to do many diff functions. I definetly understand his points a lot where he is coming from all our different kinds of ideas make sence to me. He shows how differently the mind can think of diff things all at once.

Locke discusses complex ideas puttig them into four basic types:
(1) modes, which are ideas that do not exist in and of themselves, such as qualities
(2) substances- a particular thing (particular man) or collections of such things (an army of men) (3) relations- ex: morally good
(4) abstract generals, such as “man” or “sheep” in general.

Locke's idea of complex ideas is a little confusing. I understand qualities, substances and abstract generals but the ideas he puts with relations is kind of confusing. How does the example of morally good go with relations? What does morally good have any thing to do with relations? Confused about that!
Complex ideas are created through three methods: combination, comparison, and abstraction.

LOCKE- book 2 chap. XII Complex Ideas

5- Simple and Mixed Modes: Two modes deserve distinct considerization.
first, different ways to put simple ideas--> distinct ideas put together= simple modes --> these stay in the bounds of one simple idea.
second, many simple ideas put together to a one COMPOUND idea. A combo of several diff idea of many diff kinds --> mixed modes.
examples Locke uses- beauty: consisting of diff features causing delight for the beholder and this is the idea of the combo of several diff ideas of diff kinds.

Locke is saying that the first mode is a limited amount of different ideas put together or different ways to explain simplicities. It can not get too indepth due to the fact that it is just a simple statement. It cannot be explain in many different ways.

The second Mode- Mixed Modes is many ideas put together it can be complex but in the end it has to come together for one Compound idea. The Compound idea can go indepth and be complex. To become a mixed modes it can be a varirty of topics put together to make a one large idea.