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Phinith Philavanh
Philosophy 1000/Compare and Contrast
Professor Teresa Welch
14 December 2015
John Locke vs David Hume
The British empiricists John Locke and the Scottish skeptic David Hume were both
philosophers that had similar concepts of the belief of empiricism but although in different ways.
Hume agreeing with Locke’s claim that thought is a “faithful, mirror, and copies objects truly”
(Soccio 297). The two philosophers will address disputes at different viewpoints.
One of the earliest British empiricists John Locke born (1632-1704), he was a student at
Oxford. Locke’s book that was published in 1690 An Essay Concerning Human Understanding
became the foundation to for empiricism. Locke’s concern over Scholastic philosophy in Oxford
stress many disagreements and discussions. Locke as a physician aimed that as a physician you
cannot “wait until you have reached mathematical certainty about the correct treatment” before
helping a patient.” “You have to observe and act based on what you perceive. You must turn to
the facts” (Soccio 284). Locke was true believer that all ideas is created through sensation and
reflection. On the other hand, David Hume has his thoughts and ideas on characterizing Locke’s
beliefs my modifying that the two kinds of perceptions are from ideas and impressions.
David Hume the Scottish skeptic was born (1711-1776), he was known as the honest and
sweet philosopher in the Western philosophy. Hume also wrote book’s that was secretly
published in 1737 called Treatise of Human Nature. Hume born in Edinburgh, Scotland attended
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University of Edinburgh on to dropout three years later without a degree because he wanted to
dedicate his time to philosophy and literature. Hume indicated “The most lively thought is still
inferior to the dullest sensation.” (Soccio 297). Hume believed ideas can be traced to
impressions and all ideas results from experiences.
John Locke claimed that our ideas are copies of our sensations. Sensations which makes
things become reality. “The correspondence theory of truth is a truth test that holds that an idea
(or belief or thought) is a true if whatever it refers to actually exists” (Soccio 285). This is
commonly used by the empiricists. Locke helps to identify and categorize different ideas. At the
same time, David Hume agrees with Locke’s claim that thought is a “faithful mirror, and copies
objects truly” (Soccio 297). In contrast, Hume reminds us of an important fact, that we
differentiate “ideas” from “impressions.” All ideas can be linked to impressions resulting in
experiences. Hume says the only way to counter is to produce an idea not resulting from
impressions. Hume established an empirical test of meaning: “We need to enquire, from what
impression is that supposed idea derived?” (Soccio 298), and if there isn’t any to appoint, this
would confirm the truth. Hume proven what is called empirical criterion of meaning “which all
meaningful ideas can be traced to sense experience (impressions)” (Soccio 298).
John Locke questions that how can we verify the existence if all knowledge that comes from
our own ideas? This is Locke’s term of egocentric predicament, “If all knowledge comes in the
form of my own ideas, how can I verify the existence of anything external to them?” (Soccio
288). Locke emphasizing the we “somehow know” that mental and physical substances exist. On
the contrary, Hume bundle of theory of the self is “a self merely a habitual way of discussing
certain perceptions” (Soccio 299). Hume follows, he cannot catch himself without perception,
and he observe everything with perception.
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Both philosophers is amongst the great modern philosophy. They believed that all
knowledge comes from our sense data, and that we are born with a clean slate. But Hume differs
that we can only experience knowledge from experiencing it. Both philosophers has valuable
facts you can base ones beliefs.