Method

In method, "it is therefore worth while to search out the biunds between opinion and knowledge, and examine by what measures, in things whereof we have no ceratin knowledge, we ought to regulate our assent, and moderate our persuasions".

The first method describes how to inquire the original of the ideas which a person observed.
The second methods describes to show what knowledge and understand the hath of those ideas and understanding the evidence and the extent of it.
The third method makes some inquires into the nature and grounds of faith or opinion and how we should examine the reasoning of the truths of not knowing certain knowledge.

Qualities

On page 87 Locke talks about his concerns of colors and smells can also mean and be understood of tastes and sounds. "Whatever reality we by mistake attribute to them, are in truth nothing in the objects themselves, but powers to produce various sensations in us, and depend on those primary qualities, viz., bulk, figure, texture, and motions of parts", says Locke.

This situation describes how our senses and qualities work together. For example, with admiration to sight, taste and smell, looking at a color may suggest any number of other sensations.

mind/body

"They are, in the bodies we denominate from them, only a power to produce those sensations in us..."

Descartes and Locke are thinking along the same lines in with this statement. Descartes said that what we think we are seeing for the first time is really forgotten knowledge that we had already known. It seems to me like Locke is saying that the sensations we feel to create our ideas are already sensations we know in our minds but have forgotten.

mind/body

"If it shall be demanded , then, when a man begins to have any ideas? I think, the true answer is, when he first has any sensation."

I like this quote because it simply explains Locke's entire way of thinking. With our senses-sight, sound, touch, etc.- we are able to draw conclusions, form ideas, etc. in our minds. Through the experience of sensation we can then perceive, remember, and recollect which shapes our memories. Where Descartes believes that reasoning is linked to ideas, Locke links sensation with ideas.

perception

"the ideas we receive by sensation are often in grown people altered by the judgement without our taking notice of it."

This brings a couple ideas to mind. First, we see what we want to see is popular saying. I had a friend who was very mean, shallow, and disrespectful. It took me years to notice it because I saw something dfferent. I looked past those characteristics because I saw potential and somethign better in her.

Second, it reminded me of the game 'telephone' where you whisper a phrase into someones ear and keep the chain going to see if the phrase remains the same throughout the exchange from person to person. For the most part, it never remains the same. You alter visions, sayings, etc. without realizing it all the time. Your perception results from experiences, personality, morals, and all things in your life.

morale, not innate

"Moral rules need a proof; not innate."

I think it's as simple as "do to others as you want done to you." For example, I'm a believer that if you want respect you must give it. It reminds me of 'karma'-Your actions define your fate, and you are in control of what happens to you. In my previous blog I referred to 'maternal instinct' as being innate, but I am second guessing myself. You develop morals and ethics by which shape your life. You know you must provide for your children because you love and care for them. You would do anything for them not because you were born with a voice in your head telling you to, but because it's a way of life that you had and know is right.

God as innate

"If any idea can be imagined innate, the idea of God may, of all others, for many reasons, be thought so"

How can the idea of God be innate whn the existence of God is still a controversial issue? Coming into this world we have no idea what things are, why they are here, or how they are here. We learn the myths and ideas that answer these questions as we grow older, but still, have no proof. In early civilizations, to answer any questions, people would attribute things to Gods. Some civilizations had several Gods, and some had a God for every piece of nature. Through experience and education, we develop theories about God or a supreme being, but it is impossible to be an innate idea.

Locke on experience

"Let us then suppose the mind to be, as we say, white paper, void of all characters, without any ideas; how comes it to be furnished? To this I answer, in one word, from experience: in that all our knowledge is founded, and from that it ultimately derives itself."

This is tough. I agree that we learn so much from experience and experience shapes our lives. Without trying something you will never know what you are capable of. You grow from past experiences and they teach you for future experiences. At the same time, I also believe that you are born with instincts that tell you to do certain things. People always talk about a mother's maternal instinct. You have a child and you would do anything to protect that child not because you've seen other mothers do that, but because its instilled in you to be "motherly". Also, you ever realize how little kids never know what to say or what not to say because they tell it like they see it? Well, doesn't that mean that telling the truth is inborn in them? You learn to lie by growing older and seeing other people lie, being lied to, lying to stay out of trouble, or lying to protect someones feelings.

The Mind and body problem is the combination of reality and the perception of reality. Descartes doubt the reality of the physical world and he doubts his own mind therefore, his mind and body problems became one of his biggest issues. The mind and body is really hard to understand, but Descartes help us to explain by giving us an example of what the problem is about. His example was if he cut of his leg, he would be affecting his physical body, but his mind would not be affected. With that Descartes example, we can understand a little bit more about his mind and body problem. Also, another question related to Descartes mind and body problem is that what is the relationship between the mind and the body? So, that is Descartes mind and body problems and how he came across the problems.
For a while he couldn’t find the answer to his doubting question, but eventually he came with an answer to one of the mind and body problems. He found that the relationship between the mind and the body is that one affects the other. He said that the mind needs the body and the body needed the mind to work properly. In that relation, the mind and body are still two separate entities. For the second part of the problem that deals with the mind and body is the perception of reality, at that part Descartes has to figure out where does reality lie. As he was thinking about the problem and keep on wondering about it, he finally came up with the solution, Cogito Ergo Sum, “I think there for I am”. As he thinks about the problem he realized that since he is using his mind to think and working it, so then he must exist and that was his reality.

Med. 5

Descartes further mentions proof of the existence of God. Although God does not have any specific qualities that we oberve through out senses, we do know that God does exist in some way, therefore what makes him 'true' is the quality/property of existence.

Discourse Pt 1

"... I have been nourished on letters since my childhood, and because I was convinced that by means of them one could acquire a clear and assureed knowledge of of everything that is useful in life, I had a tremendous desire to master them. But as soon as I had completed this entire course of study, at the end of which one is ordinarily receieved into the ranks of the learned, I completely changed my mind. For I found myself confounded by so many doubts and errors that it seemed to me that I have gained so many doubts and errors that it seemed to me that I had not gained any profit from my attempt to teach myself, except that more and more I had discovered my ignorance..."

What Descartes is trying to emphasize here is that as a child everyone is told that all the answers and all intellect can be obtained through teachings from facts and/or stories from a book. As a child Descartes had a strong desire to learn all and everything there was to know. He planned on making it his job to "master" all that was taught to him. Although he has gone through all stages of schooling and is amongst the highest of intellect, he doesn't believe that makes him any different from anyone else. In fact, he states that "... I had discovered my ignorance..." which will cause him to venture out and seize the answers he is longing for. Clearly, Descartes is expressing his own self doubt amongst everything he has been taught.

method of doubt

By doubting almost everything Descartes decided to throw everything that he knows and learned away. So, he came up with the Method of Doubt, by questioning about everything that the past philosopher in the past has came up with, and fined the answer to them, and then the idea would not be doubtful anymore. That was his new way for finding the ultimate truth. Every time he questions about an idea that was already there and when he doubt about it and go into his meditation state, he hope to find the ultimate truth for that question.

Reason

I think that when people give advice and give reason to what they want to tell you,they actually want them to follow that reason. I believe that when someone gives an opinion that they want to recognize their statement. If that was not so, no one would give reasons for anything. No one would learn from others. So actually, I think Decartes is lying when he says that he doesn't want people to listen to his reasons because if that was true; he would never give a reason in the first place.

Doubt

Decartes has learned after years of studying and developing up some of his own ideas about the world he live in, he started to doubt in his own belief. He doubted the lesson he learned and the reality that he is living in and eventually he became really skeptical of everything. He questioned that did everything he learned and know so far is true or not. Did everything was pre planed in his head or did he really learn it all.

What leaded Descartes to this great problem; well before he came up with the problem he had a great education and a great opportunity to get one. I think Descartes is a man of the Lord, he understand great things that no one else can. During his studies of philosophy, he became really skeptic and starting to doubt the things he learned in the past. He studied up on Plato and his Forms and form and the natural and unnatural world.