Continuing on Book II (through ch. 20) of John Locke's Essay Concerning Human Understanding (1689). What are the simple ideas that Locke thinks we acquire, and how do we acquire them? First, pain and pleasure, which are not so much just those sensory feelings as any sense of welcome or uneasiness that accompanies virtually any thought we may have. Maybe he's thinking like Continue Reading …
Ep. 258: Locke on Acquiring Simple Ideas (Citizen Edition)
On Book II (through ch. 20) of John Locke's Essay Concerning Human Understanding (1689), discussed by Mark, Wes, Dylan, and Seth. In ep. 257, we established that Locke didn't think we are born with any actual knowledge; we only have as the raw materials of knowledge what our five senses feed us. But there do seem to be some beliefs about, for instance, the existence of our Continue Reading …
Ep 110 Aftershow: Whitehead on Nature
Featuring Stephen West, Dylan Casey, David Buchanan, and (eventually) Amogha Sahu. Recorded February 15, 2015. Listen to episode 110 before listening to this. Watch it unedited: Watch on YouTube. Continue Reading …
Episode 110: Alfred North Whitehead: What Is Nature?
On The Concept of Nature (1920). Whitehead thinks that old-timey metaphysics wrongly insists that what's fundamental in the world to be studied by science is things (substance) moving around in space and time. We don't actually experience any such thing as "substance," so on this view we end up with an uncrossable gap between the world of our experience and that of science. Continue Reading …
Episode 110: Alfred North Whitehead: What Is Nature? (Citizen Edition)
On The Concept of Nature (1920). Whitehead thinks that old-timey metaphysics wrongly insists that what's fundamental in the world to be studied by science is things (substance) moving around in space and time. We don't actually experience any such thing as "substance," so on this view we end up with an uncrossable gap between the world of our experience and that of science. Continue Reading …
Precognition of Ep. 110: Whitehead
Mark Linsenmayer outlines Alfred North Whitehead's book The Concept of Nature (1920) on the relation between experience and science, and how to think about space, time, and objects. After listening to this, get the full discussion. Read more about the topic and get the text. PEL Citizens can download the transcript from the Free Stuff for Citizens page. Continue Reading …
Precognition of Ep. 110: Whitehead
Mark Linsenmayer outlines Alfred North Whitehead's book The Concept of Nature (1920) on the relation between experience and science, and how to think about space, time, and objects. After listening to this, get the full discussion. Read more about the topic and get the text. Read a transcript. Continue Reading …
Why Non-Euclidean Geometry Does Not Invalidate Kant’s Conception of Spatial Intuition
Everyone once in a while I run across the opinion that non-Euclidean presents a serious problem for Kantian epistemology. While I've rebutted this notion before, it's common enough that I thought I'd have another go at explaining why it's a misconception. For Kant we can't know the universe to be spatial "in itself" (as in "things-in-themselves"), Euclidean or Non-Euclidean Continue Reading …