Assignment 5

for the week of October 2

 

Instructions

By Monday, October 2:

·         Read the biography of Locke on pages 492-493 of Cahn.

·         Then, in Locke’s Essay Concerning Human Understanding, read the following:

·         The Introduction, Sections 1, 2, 8 (starting on page 494)

·         Book I, Chapter I, Sections 1-5 (495; the thesis that no ideas are innate)

·         Book II, Chapter I, Sections 1-5 (496; the source of ideas, operations of the mind)

·         Book II, Chapter II, Section 1 (498; simple ideas)

·         Book II, Chapter III, Section 1 (499; simple ideas of sense)

·         Book II, Chapter VI, Sections 1,2 (500; simple ideas of reflection)

·         Book II, Chapter VIII, Sections 7-14 (502; primary and secondary qualities)

·         Book II, Chapter XI, Section 4,6,8,9 (507; operations of the mind)

·         Book II, Chapter XII, Section 1 (509; complex ideas)

·         Book IV, Chapter I, Sections 1-7 (544; knowledge in general)

By Wednesday, October 4:

·         Read the biography of Berkeley on pages 563-564 of Cahn.

·         Then read the first dialogue between Hylas and Philonous, on pages 580-598. Read the dialog carefully through page 586, then skim the rest, trying to extract an outline of the general discussion.

·         Read the biography of Hume on page 626 of Cahn.

·         In Hume’s Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, read the two paragraphs of Section I starting with “The mere philosopher is a character” on page 629.

·         Then read (on pages 633-646)

·         Section II (ideas vs. impressions)

·         Section III (association of ideas)

·         Section IV, part I (relations of ideas, vs. matters of fact; the source of causal knowledge)

·         Section IV, part II (the nature of causal knowledge)

·         Section V, part I (custom, or habit)

 

Turn in the homework assignment at the beginning of class on Wednesday, October11.

Homework assignment

The answer to each of these questions should be a paragraph or two long.

1.        TTT,all study questions in Chapter 7.

Thought questions

2.        According to Locke, what are the goals of his Essay? (Support your answer with one or two quotations.)

3.        It would seem that the principles “What is, is” and “It is possible for the same thing to be and not to be” are innate. But Locke maintains that they are not; explain.

4.        Discuss the Aristotelian views of earthly and heavenly motion, and the contributions of Copernicus, Brahe, Kepler, Galileo, and Newton that have shaped our modern views.

5.        According to Locke, what are the two sources of our ideas?

6.        If you are not entirely sick and tired of proofs of the existence of God, look at Chapter X of Book IV of Locke’s Essay. What proof does he give there?