Relations between Knowledge and Reality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Relations between Knowledge and Reality - Essay Example Ideas about relationships are certainly developed and predicted on the basis of the conditions they fulfill. Thus, the relationships and their concepts are dependent of the performances they make. The author also alludes to various forms of concepts described by Locke, which include action-concepts, physical concepts and moral concepts (106-107). Locke has also established the patterns of relations, where he declares cause and effect as the most important one in this regards. He has also shown the relationship between various ideas on the basis of the concepts established. He called relation between idea and thing as the real existence. (110) Locke has presented different sorts of agreements on perception about ideas, where he aims to view knowledge as unlimited in nature and scope, though knowledge of coexistence is narrow and limited one. Hence, Locke asserts the existence of knowledge on the basis of perception of agreement or disagreement between ideas, without taking into consid eration the very difference in perceiving the same. (117) Locke, Law & Law of Nature Rogers (1999) has identified the moral and natural law described and discussed by John Locke in his philosophy. Moral law, according to Rogers, enjoys the central place in Locke’s political writings (Atherton, 1999:47), which can also be viewed in association with his opinion about scientific inventions and advancements. It is partly due to the very reality that scientific discoveries are also the outcome of the scientists’ curiosity for exploring the countless phenomena of nature with the help of observation and empirical estimation. Hence, God and the universe on the one hand, and natural law and scientific discoveries are interrelated according to Locke (48-49). The individuals’ activities also reflect natural laws, and parents’ affection for children is natural, while their hatred for children looks unnatural and astonishing act. Consequently, natural law lays stress upon morality for the individuals (51), and reiterates upon applying best of faculties and skills while performing an act or obligation. Locke has also sought inspiration from the Newton’s law of gravity that every object of nature acts according to the commands of natural law, and deviation from the same could invite disorder and chaos in its wake. It is therefore Locke, in his Essay, looks for seeking knowledge about the laws of universe in order to explore the realities existing all around humans. (53-54) Rogers also cites Locke’s examples regarding the affects of various objects on others, where the reaction of different objects is almost same, as hemlock takes the life of the person consuming the same. Locke has also explored relation between the law of nature and the laws of nature, where law of nature identifies the existence of God, His laws and the entities to obey the same, and laws of nature repeat their course in order to implement the law of nature. Moral Weakness by Spinoza Harris (1973) has elucidated Spinoza’s doctrine of moral weakness by making its comparison with the goodness theory articulated by renowned Greek philosopher Plato.