John Locke's Empiricism: Foundations of Epistemology, Critique of Innate Ideas, and the Role of Sensation in the Formation of Knowledge

Abstract

John Locke, as the founder of modern empiricism, rejected the theory of innate ideas and considered the human mind at birth a tabula rasa—a "blank slate" upon which all knowledge is inscribed through experience and interaction with the external world. This article, by examining Locke’s epistemology, highlights two primary sources of knowledge: sensation (the reception of external data) and reflection (the mental processing of that data). Locke classifies ideas into simple (directly derived from experience) and complex (formed by the mind’s synthesis of simple ideas), asserting that even abstract concepts such as substance and causality originate from experience. Critiquing innate ideas, Locke argues that principles such as logic or ethics are not inherent but are the result of social consensus and education. By introducing the distinction between primary qualities (objective features like shape) and secondary qualities (perception-dependent features like color), Locke demonstrates the limitations of human cognition and emphasizes that the true nature of things is unknowable. This theory not only strengthened the foundations of empirical philosophy but also profoundly influenced later thinkers such as Berkeley and Hume. Furthermore, Locke’s opposition to innate ideas is inextricably linked to the political context of his time, particularly his resistance to absolute monarchy and his advocacy for individual liberties. Ultimately, Locke’s integration of empiricism with moderate rationalism paved the way for knowledge based on observation and reasoning, triggering a transformation in Enlightenment philosophy and laying the groundwork for empirical sciences and modern cognitive studies. His philosophical framework—emphasizing the central role of sensation and the rejection of a priori knowledge—continues to serve as a model for exploring the relationship between mind and the external world.