more on this theme     |     more from this thinker     |     more from this text


Single Idea 12562

[filed under theme 11. Knowledge Aims / B. Certain Knowledge / 1. Certainty ]

Full Idea

General certainty is never to be found but in our ideas.

Gist of Idea

General certainty is only found in ideas

Source

John Locke (Essay Conc Human Understanding (2nd Ed) [1694], 4.06.16)

Book Ref

Locke,John: 'Essay Concerning Human Understanding', ed/tr. Nidditch,P.H. [OUP 1979], p.591


A Reaction

This is a fairly standard empirical view of such things. The obvious opposition to it might be Moore's 'hand' example (Idea 6349), if we ask, which is more certain, this hand I hold up, or this complex proof in mathematics?