Page 155 - Wholeness
P. 155

Locke  realized  that  to  make  progress  it  was  first  necessary  to
        examine  human  understanding  more  fundamentally.  Before  we

        start  analyzing  the  world  and  the  way  we  approach  it,  it  is
        necessary  to  learn  something  about  ourselves  and  how  we

        acquire knowledge.


        Locke wrote an Essay that was divided into four books. In Book
        One, Locke argues that our knowledge cannot have been innate.

        This sets up Book Two, in which Locke claims that all our ideas
        come  from  experience.  Book  Three  is  a  digression  as  Locke

        turns  his  attention  to  language  and  the  role  it  plays  in  our

        theorizing.

        Locke’s main goal is cautionary, he thinks language is often an

        obstacle to understanding and offers some recommendations to
        avoid confusion.


        Finally,  Book  Four  discusses  knowledge,  belief  and  opinion.

        Locke  argues  that  knowledge  consists  of  special  kind  of
        relations between ideas and that we should regulate our beliefs

        accordingly.  Locke  greatly  contributed  for  perfection  of  people
        and  considered  experience,  knowledge,  ideas  and  opinions  as

        basic preconditions for upgrading social relationships.

        True  development  of  the  society  is  possible  only  through

        upgrading  people’s  knowledge  and  understanding.  Society  can


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