History of Philosophy: Ren



History of Philosophy: Ren.-En.; worksheet on Locke, Essay, Book III, Chapters III and VI: words and abstract ideas (pp. 329-339)

Unfortunately, our editors left out a brief but informative discussion in Chapter II. Here, Locke defines words as arbitrary signs of ideas in the speaker’s mind. Communication is possible only because the speakers of a language associate similar (although generally not identical) ideas with the same sounds or marks.

1. Why do we have general terms (III 1-4)?

2. What makes a word general (III 6)?

3. How do we develop general, or abstract, ideas (III 6-9)?

4. Do general, or abstract, essences (e.g., humanity, triangularity, etc.) exist in reality (III 11, VI 4)? Why or why not?

5. Is there any basis in reality to general, or abstract, essences (III 13)?

6. What’s the difference between a real and a nominal essence (III 15, VI 3)? How does the example of the glockenspiel (“that famous clock”) at Strasbourg illustrate the distinction between real and nominal essence (VI 9)?

7. Which is permanent and which changes – real or nominal essences (VI 8)? Why?

Worksheet on George Berkeley (1685-1753), A Treatise Concerning the Principles of Human Knowledge (1710), "Preface" and "Introduction": on abstract ideas (pp. 462-470)

Note: the questions with an asterisk (“*”), either alone or combined with another, would make good 1-2 page analytic response papers.

1. Berkeley agrees with Descartes that the “obstacles and difficulties which stay and embarrass the mind in its search after truth” (4) are not to be blamed on our mental faculties, but rather “in the wrong use we make of them” (3). Descartes believed that such difficulties could be overcome by never judging ideas that it doesn’t clearly and distinctly perceive. What’s Berkeley’s view of the true source of how to begin avoiding such difficulties (6)?

*2. In Sections 7-9, Berkeley rehearses Locke’s view of the formation of abstract, or general, ideas (Bk. II, Ch. XI, 9-11; Bk. III, Ch. III, 6-9; and Bk. IV, Ch. VII, 9). What’s this account?

*3. Section 10 contains one of the great arguments in the history of philosophy. What does Berkeley here have to say about abstract ideas?

*4. What’s Berkeley’s alternative account of general ideas (11), i.e., universality (15)?

*5. Explain Berkeley’s claim that he does “not deny absolutely there are general ideas, but only that there are any abstract general ideas” (12). What is a general idea for Berkeley? How does the example of a geometrical construction illustrate this point?

*6. In section 13, Berkeley makes an even stronger argument against the notion of abstract ideas than he did in section 10. What’s this?

*7. If there are no abstract ideas, then how can we ever demonstrate some proposition is generally true – such as that all triangles have angles whose sum is equal to that of 2 right angles (16)?

8. What does Berkeley take to be the source of the belief in abstract ideas (18-19)?

9. Recall Locke’s view that the purpose of language is to communicate ideas marked by words. What does Berkeley think about this?

*10. What method does Berkeley propose for avoiding the philosophical errors of the past (21)? What advantages does he claim for it (22)?

History of Philosophy: Ren.-En.; Fall 2002; Prof. Boedeker; worksheet on George Berkeley (1685-1753), A Treatise Concerning the Principles of Human Knowledge (1710), "Preface" and "Introduction": on abstract ideas (pp. 462-470)

Note: the questions with an asterisk (“*”), either alone or combined with another, would make good 1-2 page analytic response papers.

1. Berkeley agrees with Descartes that the “obstacles and difficulties which stay and embarrass the mind in its search after truth” (4) are not to be blamed on our mental faculties, but rather “in the wrong use we make of them” (3). Descartes believed that such difficulties could be overcome by never judging ideas that it doesn’t clearly and distinctly perceive. What’s Berkeley’s view of the true source of how to begin avoiding such difficulties (6)?

*2. In Sections 7-9, Berkeley rehearses Locke’s view of the formation of abstract, or general, ideas (Bk. II, Ch. XI, 9-11; Bk. III, Ch. III, 6-9; and Bk. IV, Ch. VII, 9). What’s this account?

*3. Section 10 contains one of the great arguments in the history of philosophy. What does Berkeley here have to say about abstract ideas?

*4. What’s Berkeley’s alternative account of general ideas (11), i.e., universality (15)?

*5. Explain Berkeley’s claim that he does “not deny absolutely there are general ideas, but only that there are any abstract general ideas” (12). What is a general idea for Berkeley? How does the example of a geometrical construction illustrate this point?

*6. In section 13, Berkeley makes an even stronger argument against the notion of abstract ideas than he did in section 10. What’s this?

*7. If there are no abstract ideas, then how can we ever demonstrate some proposition is generally true – such as that all triangles have angles whose sum is equal to that of 2 right angles (16)?

8. What does Berkeley take to be the source of the belief in abstract ideas (18-19)?

9. Recall Locke’s view that the purpose of language is to communicate ideas marked by words. What does Berkeley think about this?

*10. What method does Berkeley propose for avoiding the philosophical errors of the past (21)? What advantages does he claim for it (22)?

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