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Single Idea 2603

[filed under theme 15. Nature of Minds / B. Features of Minds / 2. Unconscious Mind ]

Full Idea

To say a notion is imprinted on the mind, but the mind is ignorant of it, is to make this impression nothing. ….But if the capacity of knowing be the test of innateness, all the truths a man ever comes to know will be every one of them innate.

Gist of Idea

If we aren't aware that an idea is innate, the concept of innate is meaningless; if we do, all ideas seem innate

Source

John Locke (Essay Conc Human Understanding (2nd Ed) [1694], 1.02.05)

Book Ref

Locke,John: 'Essay Concerning Human Understanding', ed/tr. Nidditch,P.H. [OUP 1979], p.50

A Reaction

The problem is, I think, that Locke is relying wholly on introspection to decide on what is innate. If you turn to Chomsky's evidence, of children learning more language than they could possibly taught, there seems to be lots of evidence.

The 18 ideas with the same theme [workings of mind hidden from consciousness]:

21827 The movement of Soul is continuous, but we are only aware of the parts of it that are sensed [Plotinus]
16634 I can't be unaware of anything which is in me [Descartes]
7118 La Rochefoucauld's idea of disguised self-love implies an unconscious mind [Rochefoucauld, by Sartre]
2603 If we aren't aware that an idea is innate, the concept of innate is meaningless; if we do, all ideas seem innate [Locke]
12944 It is a serious mistake to think that we are aware of all of our perceptions [Leibniz]
19355 The soul doesn't understand many of its own actions, if perceptions are confused and desires buried [Leibniz]
21478 Half our thinking is unconscious, and we reach conclusions while unaware of premises [Schopenhauer]
21369 We have hidden and unadmitted desires and fears, suppressed because of vanity [Schopenhauer]
20116 Most of our lives, even the important parts, take place outside of consciousness [Nietzsche]
20120 Whatever moves into consciousness becomes thereby much more superficial [Nietzsche]
3488 Freud treats the unconscious as intentional and hence mental [Freud, by Searle]
22226 Since we are a consciousness, Sartre entirely rejected the unconscious mind [Sartre, by Daigle]
3486 Unconscious thoughts are those capable of causing conscious ones [Searle]
3503 Consciousness results directly from brain processes, not from some intermediary like information [Searle]
4691 If all mental life were conscious, we would be unable to see things, or to process speech [McGinn]
2964 How come unconscious states also cause behaviour? [Lockwood]
2951 Could there be unconscious beliefs and desires? [Lockwood]
21833 Research suggest that we overrate conscious experience [Flanagan]