Introduction

Modern philosophy, characterized by a shift towards empiricism, saw a departure from the emphasis on innate ideas and rational deduction of the previous era. Empiricists such as John Locke, George Berkeley, and David Hume sought to ground knowledge in experience and observation. Their ideas laid the groundwork for the development of the scientific method and influenced subsequent philosophical inquiry.

John Locke (1632-1704)

John Locke, an English philosopher and physician, is often hailed as “the founder of British” empiricism. In his seminal work, An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, Locke argued that the human mind is a blank slate (tabula rasa) at birth and that all knowledge is derived from experience.

He distinguished between two types of experience: sensation and reflection. Sensation is the perception of external objects through the senses, while reflection is the perception of the operations of the mind. Locke’s empiricism was deeply intertwined with his political philosophy, which emphasized the natural rights of life, liberty, and property.

is a seminal work in epistemology that sought to refute the rationalist notion of innate ideas. Locke posited that the mind is a blank slate (tabula rasa) at birth and that all knowledge is derived from experience. He distinguished between two types of experience: sensation and reflection. Sensation is the perception of external objects through the senses, while reflection is the perception of the operations of the mind. Locke’s empiricism was deeply intertwined with his political philosophy, which emphasized the natural rights of life, liberty, and property.