back to ideas for this text


Single Idea 7723

[from 'Essay Conc Human Understanding (2nd Ed)' by John Locke, in 12. Knowledge Sources / A. A Priori Knowledge / 3. Innate Knowledge / c. Tabula rasa ]

Full Idea

The senses at first let in particular ideas, and furnish the yet empty cabinet.

Gist of Idea

The senses first let in particular ideas, which furnish the empty cabinet

Source

John Locke (Essay Conc Human Understanding (2nd Ed) [1694], 1.02.15)

Book Reference

Locke,John: 'Essay Concerning Human Understanding', ed/tr. Nidditch,P.H. [OUP 1979], p.55


A Reaction

A nice image of Locke's famous claim that the mind is a 'tabula rasa' (blank page). The obvious objection is that a totally empty cabinet would not organise or make sense of or respond to the sense experiences that entered it. Kant spelled this out.