JOURNAL

  

Read the assigned reading from the chapter. Then choose ONE of the questions below to answer. Answer the question you chose in a short essay in which you defend a thesis in a space of 250-300 words (this will be around one page).

Be sure to explain your answers and give reasons for your views. You should always cite the textbook, however, you should never directly quote any author. Instead, simply summarize the main position, give a context, and then include a citation. Do NOT use any other sources besides the textbook.

1. Explain Locke’s view that we can have knowledge of an external world despite our being directly aware only of sense data. Do you agree with him, or do you side with his critics who say that we can know only the contents of our minds?
2. Why does Berkeley deny the existence of material objects? Explain his view of subjective idealism. Do you accept or reject his theory? Why or why not?
3. Suppose someone claims that he can easily refute Berkeley’s idealism by simply kicking a rock or eating an apple. Does this demonstration show that Berkeley’s view is false? Explain.
4. Hume thinks that all knowledge must be traced back to perceptions; otherwise, assertions of knowledge are meaningless. From this, he concludes that all theological and metaphysical speculations are worthless. Do you agree with him? Why or why not?
5. What does Kant mean by “Thoughts without content are empty, intuitions without concepts are blind?” Do you agree that at least some of your perceptions are conceptualized.

Note: All journal entries must be submitted as attachments (in Microsoft Word format) in order to