Locke wrote his essay concerning human understanding in 1690 offering the renowned metaphor comparing the mind to lank slate on which experience writes. This statement clearly and concisely describes his belief that human understanding ultimately derives from experiences that are perceived through the senses, not through some kind of predetermined reaction. ... Human nature is to seek pleasure and avoid pain. ... John Locke and David Hume upheld the belief that sensible things were composed of material substance, the basic framework for the materialist position. ... Hume Defuse the threat to e...

• Word Count: 2949
• Approx Pages: 12
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Prentice-Hall: Toronto] When we look at something from a reality standpoint, we see things for what they really are, without the human associations and interpretations. ... Similarly in this way the rest of our senses are also influenced by the secondary qualities which are defined by their relationship to human perceivers. ... The statement that secondary qualities are powers to produce sensations in human beings can be verified by the fact that sensations produced by the same object will vary with circumstances: For example, lukewarm water will appear cold to a hot hand and hot to a col...

• Word Count: 2636
• Approx Pages: 11
• Grade Level: High School