Locke
Primary qualities are described as those that do not change when the substance is divided. This includes "solidity, extension, figure, and mobility". Secondary qualities are those that are subject to change in a substance, such as colors, sounds, and tastes. Thus, all people see primary qualities in the same way, but not everyone views the secondary qualities in the same way. For example, although two children see the same round cookie, one might think that it tastes good and the other may despise the taste of it. It is through these qualities that Locke attempted to judge whether we can rely on our senses to correctly perceive the world. After Locke established how ideas are formed, he developed a classification system that renders the knowledge into degrees. The three degrees that Locke established are intuitive, demonstrative, and sensitive. The first degree, intuitive, is considered blatant knowledge. Locke states, "This part of knowledge is irresistible, and, like bright sunshine, forces itself immediately to be perceived." Intuitive knowledge is the most obvious and assured that human beings are aware of. The seco
nd degree of knowledge, demonstrative, is the type of knowledge that may be derived from reasoning. This may require weighing ideas against one another or relating ideas to each other. The most important rule that makes demonstrated knowledge valid is that each step must have intuitive evidence, or proof. Finally, sensitive knowledge is in a class of its own. Sensitive knowledge is made up of faith and opinions, the belief in God, for example. It would seem that this type of classification would juxtapose Locke's empiricism way of thinking. To justify sensitive knowledge, Locke asks,"[is there any man] when he actually tastes wormwood, or smells a rose, or only thinks on that savour or odour?" What Locke asks is what man can do these things without considering that there might be a God. Locke made the statement "Knowledge is the perception of the agreement or disagreement of two ideas". This means that we gain knowledge by relating two items of knowledge. To help us understand he divided this agreement or disagreement into four kinds: identity or diversity, relation, co-existance, and real existence. Identity or diversi
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Approximate Word count = 758
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)
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