Locke S Theory Of Knowledge And Its Historical Relations Classic Reprint

Excerpt from Locke's Theory of Knowledge and Its Historical Relations This study of Locke's Theory of Knowledge was begun as an introduction to an edition of the Essay upon which I have been engaged for some years, but in view of the proportions to which it has grown it has seemed better that it should appear independently. Notwithstanding the labours of Campbell Fraser and the admirable little volume by Professor Alexander, the Essay still suffers from the twin assumptions, that it can be understood without being studied and that its full significance can be summed up in a small number of simple propositions. In truth, few philosophical classics lend themselves less readily to such summary treatment than do its carefully guarded statements, and its complex, unstable thought positions. In the exposition of Locke's doctrine, which occupies the first half of this book, I have, accordingly, sought to indicate the grounds of my interpretation by frequent references and quotations. The relation of Locke's thought to that of his predecessors and contemporaries has hitherto received but little consideration, and that little not from his countrymen. To throw some further light upon the influences which affected his work has, consequently, been one of my chief aims. On the other hand, I have omitted all reference to the movement which culminated in Hume, to have dealt with which with the necessary fullness would too greatly have extended the length of the present work. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1917 edition. Excerpt: ... which a merely probable conviction may be held. In some cases, he holds, the grounds of probability are so strong that our assent is as necessarily determined by them as by a strict demonstration, but even in these extreme cases he still rigidly refuses the name of knowledge1. For when we have knowledge, we have something which excludes thejossibility not only of doubt but of error. Now this does not merely mean that knowledge is formally distinguished from error, as the true from the false. It implies that a. form of absolutely certain cognition exists, which no new facts or considerations can weaken or overthrow, and which is capable of being recognised as such by the subject. 'What we once know, we are certain is so; and we may be secure that there are no latent proofs undiscovered, which may overthrow our knowledge or bring it in doubt2.' Besides its certainty, there are two other general features which Locke considers that knowledge must possess, if it is to be of any serious value. In the first place, k-must-possess-the.character of being 'instructive' or synthetic, by which it is distinguished from the merely verbal certainty of the 'trifling' propositions, which only repeat in the predicate the whole or a part of the idea which constitutes the subject. And further, however subjectively conditioned and limited in its immediate range, the knowledge which Locke undertakes to investigate is regarded by him as somehow referring to and holding good of a reality which is independent of the knowing mind and of the ideas by which it is known. Besides being certain and instructive, our knowledge must be 'real.' Nor must it be supposed that this real and instructive certainty is to be found either exclusively or typically in reference to...

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Excerpt from Locke's Theory of Knowledge: With a Notice of Berkeley The aim of this Part of the Philosophic Series is to treat historically the chief topics which have been discussed dialectically in the previous Numbers. The special doctrine to be thus illustrated is that of first principles. The discussion on this subject began with Locke's denial of Innate Ideas in the First Book of his Essay on Human Understanding, published in 1690, and has been continued ever since, particularly by such original writers as Hume, Kant, and Herbert Spencer. Our work would be incomplete without a historical and critical review of these leaders of thought. All of them have exposed prevailing errors, and all of them have caught glimpses of important truth; I have to add that all of them have promulgated serious error. Can we by any magnetic process draw out the pure metal and allow the dross to sink? Our notices will be critical as well as historical. But in criticism there are always principles involved, and these ought always to be formally stated, that all may perceive the ground proceeded on, and be able to sit in judgment on the critic. This I propose to do in this Introductory Section. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

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Excerpt from The Works of John Locke, Vol. 2: Philosophical Works 10. - Of our Knowledge of the Existence of a God 11. - Of our Knowledge of the Existemo of other Things 1 2. - Of the Improvement of our Knowledge 1 3. - Some further Considerations concerning our Know. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.