more from John Locke

Single Idea 5002

[catalogued under 15. Nature of Minds / B. Features of Minds / 1. Consciousness / f. Higher-order thought]

Full Idea

Consciousness is the perception of what passes in a man's own mind.

Gist of Idea

Consciousness is the perception of what passes in a man's own mind

Source

John Locke (Essay Conc Human Understanding (2nd Ed) [1694], 2.01.19)

Book Reference

Locke,John: 'Essay Concerning Human Understanding', ed/tr. Nidditch,P.H. [OUP 1979], p.115


A Reaction

This sounds to me like one capacity of human consciousness, which is second-order awareness. I take animals to have first-order awareness (of the world), but not perception of their own awareness. Self-awareness is crucial to his concept of a 'person'.