John Locke Essay Concerning Human Understanding "-Book III - by Lucia Delgado and Georgina Ferrara. -History of Modern Philosophy- Locke aims to examine the use of human intellect in relation to specific sectors or areas of knowledge, but who studies the intellect itself capabilities, functions and limits. Therefore, it is not examining the objects, but at the same subject.
Subject and object are the two components for knowledge, the object is the image represented by the subject, but at the time this image was expressed through the word.
The representation may be more or less true, but no more or less true. This representation for the subject is expressed through language. And if I represent a clear and distinct word will also be clear and distinct.
Locke is the source of true representation, that is inside it. Finds her in a universal language. Language is the way I have to represent my world.
However, in the following lines will be out a summary of Book III of An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, "where, in the words of Locke, develops, more broadly, as discussed earlier, which will help us to understand the issue of language and the relationship between words and ideas, and shaft covers named Book III.
SUMMARY.
About the words or language in general.
The man is willing to form articulate sounds. It was God who endowed man with language, which is the instrument and common bond with society, because man must of necessity relate to their own kind. Therefore, man has by nature his organs so arranged that is able to articulate sounds which we call words.
Besides articulate sounds, it became necessary for man to be able to use them as internal conceptions and it is precisely these sounds could be established as signs of ideas lodged in his mind, so that thoughts the minds of men to communicate to each other.
is not enough for the perfection of language that signs can be converted into signs of ideas, unless those signs can be used in a manner that can span several particulars. To remedy this inconvenience, language had a greater improvement in the use of general terms, by which a word was made to draw a large number of individual stocks.
The words are derived, ultimately, other sensible ideas mean, with that noted the dependence of our words about simple ideas common.
To give names to forward to another, any operations they felt in themselves, or idea does not come from your senses, they needed to use words, ideas, feelings commonly known to be able to conceive the other, those undergoing operations in themselves and then when they had names to signify those internal operations of their own minds, and were sufficiently equipped to make known by words all their ideas.
To better understand the use and power of language, as server training and knowledge, it is useful to consider:
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do you apply in the use made language, names.
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Since all names (except their own) are general and not particularly mean this or that particular thing, but the classes and ranges of things must be taken into account, what are the species and genera of things.
Delimited this, you can better determine the correct use words, the advantages and shortcomings of language, the remedies to be used to avoid problems in the meaning of words.
About the meaning of words.
Words are sensible signs, necessary for the communication of ideas.
Man, although it has great variety of thoughts, and of such kind that they other men like him, to receive benefit and satisfaction, however, has these thoughts, hidden or invisible to the gaze of other men. But as the comfort and progress of society could not be achieved without the communication of ideas, it became necessary for man to find a sensitive external signs, so those invisible ideas, which are made of thought, could be released other men. And to achieve this goal, just the way that those articulated sounds which were found endowed.
Words adapted by nature to that finally came to be used by men to serve as signs of their ideas. Thus, the use of words is that the signals are sensitive to the ideas, and ideas that are meant for those are their own and immediate significance.
As the men make use of these signals is or to record their own ideas in support of the ideas, or, so to speak, to draw their ideas and expose them to the sight of other men, the mean wordiness, the ideas in the mind of the uses, however imperfect these ideas were collected from the things that are supposed to represent. The purpose of speech is that those sounds can, to express their ideas to the listener. It is, therefore, that words are the signs or signs of the speaker's ideas. Words are signs volunteers can not be voluntary signs imposed by unfamiliar things, because this would make them signs of nothing, sounds without signification.
The words, however, also refer to two things:
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They assume that words are also signs of the ideas in the minds of other men with whom they communicate. Men do not notice whether the idea they have in mind is the same as that of dialoguing with them, but they are satisfied to think that is enough to think the words. They think the idea of \u200b\u200bwho made a sign that word is exactly the same as that applied men understood that name of that country.
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words, through use, cause the ideas of objects. Therefore, it should be noted, in regard to ideas, the following:
First, happens that for constant use, they come to establish some connection between sounds and ideas they mean.
Second, given that proper and immediate signification of words are ideas in the mind of speakers.
Many words are learned before knowing the ideas they stand for, some, pronounce words like parrots, only because they have learned and become accustomed to their sound. But from the moment the words are useful and meaningful, there is a constant connection between sound and the idea and the indication that one is meant for the other. Without the application of words, they are nothing but mere noise without meaning.
The words come to lead in men certain ideas, that they are inclined to assume that there is a natural connection between each other. But only mean particular ideas of men and this is so totally arbitrary imposition, is evident by the fact that words often fail to result in others the same ideas we had taken of signs. And everyone has an inviolable freedom to make words mean the ideas you want, because nobody has the power to make other people have in their minds the same ideas he has, when they use the same words to him. One thing is certain: their significance in the use made of them, is limited to their ideas and can not be signs of anything else.
In general terms.
First, the significance and use of words depend on the connection the mind makes between these ideas and sounds used as signs, it is necessary in the application of names to things, that the mind may have different ideas of things and retain the unique name to that idea.
Secondly, men learn names and use them in conversation with men, just to understand them, which, by the use or consensus, the sound of my speech organs produce causes in the mind of the listen to the idea which I apply on my own, when I talk.
Thirdly, it should also be noted that a name for a particular thing would not be useful for the development of knowledge, which, although it is founded in particular things, be extended for general concepts, the things are subject, reduced to classes under generic names. Besides the people, you often give these names to the countries, rivers, mountains and other similar kinds of places and that for the same reasons, since these are things that men have to indicate how frequently particular.
Now, how do we build broad terms, or where in general natures are those not considered to be meant by those terms? Words get to do overall because they are the signs of general ideas, and ideas become general when separated from the circumstances of time and place and any ideas which you can determine them to this or that particular existence .
As for the origin of our notions and names, nothing is more evident that the ideas that form the children about people who deal with them. The idea of \u200b\u200bthe nurse and the mother is perfectly etched in their minds and represent, as if they were portraits of these people, only those individuals. The names they hear and see first is simply to call these individuals, that the child uses only appoint these people. Then, when under prolonged treatment time and notes that exist in the world many things and get an idea where he discovered that all those individuals involved and, for example, give the name of man, like other . And so come to have a general name and a general idea in it, they do not invent anything new, but leaving partial or particular aspects of each of these individuals, Peter and James, Mary and Jane, leaving outside the complex idea and retaining only what is common to them all.
is to say that our complex ideas are defined by the properties contained therein. In the same way we come to acquire a general name and idea of \u200b\u200bman, as the different things that differ in the idea of \u200b\u200bman, and could not be under the same name, but which, however, have certain qualities that also agree to man, keeping them as only an idea, other ideas have wrought even more general, to which they assign a name, which becomes a term of a more comprehensive extension. And this idea is achieved by leaving out the form and some other properties including in the end man.
Regarding the use of gender in the definitions, the definition is to make another understand by words what idea he meant by that term is defined, a definition will be more perfect if it lists those simple ideas I know they're combined in the signification of the term defined, and if, instead of the enumeration, men have become accustomed to using the nearest general term, was not a necessity, or by virtue of clarity, but for greater convenience and speed.
To return to general words, it is clear that the general and universal not belong to the real existence of things, but only to the signs, whether words or ideas. As noted, the words are general when used as signs of general ideas and thus can be applied to many particular things and ideas are general when they are formed to represent many things private. But the universality does not belong to the same things, all of which are unique in their existence, so when we leave the particular, the generalities that are, or general in nature is nothing more than the capacity given to them by the understanding of meaning or representing many particulars. Because its meaning is but a relationship that the human mind are added.
It happens, that what words mean general is a kind of thing, and each of them means that to be the sign of an abstract idea that we have in mind, and this idea, as long as the existing things conform to it, fall under that name, or are of this type
It follows that the abstract idea that the name means and the essence of the species is all one and the same. The essences of the kinds of things, and its classification, is by the understanding that abstracts and forging those general ideas.
For when we say this is a man, that's a horse, this is justice, what cruelty what we do but rank things under different specific names, as long as these things up with those abstract ideas which we have made signs.
These abstract ideas are the means to establish their union, so the essence of the species, just as we distinguish and call can not be anything but those abstract ideas we have in mind.
So every distinct abstract idea is an abstract essence and different names used for such distinct ideas are the names of things essentially different.
About particles.
particles linked parts of sentences or whole sentences. Besides the words which are names of ideas in mind, there are others that are used to signify the connection between the mind set of ideas or propositions. The mind does not only need to communicate their thoughts to others, signs of the ideas they have or have had, but also has other signs need to show or suggest any particular action of yours, which then relates to their ideas. But moreover, the mind to clarify your feelings to others, connecting not only the parts of propositions, but whole sentences, each other, with their various relationships and dependencies, to achieve a coherent discourse.
in the proper use of these particles is the art of good talk . The words are usually called particles, and is in its proper use as is more particularly the clarity and beauty of a good style. To think it not enough that a man has ideas clear and distinct in his thoughts, but you need to think with illation and observe the dependence of their thoughts and reasoning with each other. And to properly express such a thought, methodical and rational, you should use words that show the connection established in each respective part of his speech.
About the imperfection of words .
Words are used to record and communicate our thoughts. To examine the perfection or imperfection of words is necessary to consider its use and purpose, because in the same way to achieve that, so will be more or less perfect.
First, for the record of our own thoughts.
Second, to communicate our thoughts to others.
As the first of these two purposes, any of our words are used. Then as the sounds are signs different from any future volunteers and ideas, a man may use the words you want to signify their own ideas to himself, and there is no imperfection in them if used consistently the same sign for the same idea, because then you have understood the meaning of his message, which is what is the right use and perfection of language.
Secondly, the word communication is also a dual use:
First, for civil use, I mean the communication of thoughts and ideas through words, as used for the maintenance of common conversation and commerce on the issues and conveniences of civil life, in societies of men, one among the others.
Second, for philosophical use, such use from them that can be used to communicate the precise notions of things and to express in general propositions certain and undoubted truths, which satisfies the mind in its quest for true knowledge.
The imperfection of words is the ambiguity of its meaning, which is the product of the kind of ideas they mean. As the purpose of language in communication to be understood, words can not adequately serve this purpose, or in civil discourse or philosophical, if any word in the listener does not raise the same idea in mind which means the speaker. The question of uncertainty because their meaning is rather in the ideas that mean that in a disability who have a sound but that in another to signify any idea. So what makes some words more doubtful or uncertain in their meaning is the difference in the ideas they stand.
The names of mixed modes are subject to great uncertainty and obscurity in its meaning because of the composition offered complex ideas. When a word means a complex idea is not easy for men to retain and form to this idea exactly. It follows that rarely see the men when they have given names to complex ideas, have the same meaning.
About the abuse of words .
Besides the imperfection that is naturally in the language and the darkness and confusion that is so difficult to avoid the use of words, there is some intentional fault and negligence of the men are guilty, in this way of communication, why do these signs are less clear and distinct in their signification than naturally they should be.
The first abuse is the use of words without ideas clear and distinct, or signs without anything signified. It may be noted, in all languages, certain words which means no clear and distinct in their proper use and its origin. These have been introduced by the various sects of philosophy and religion. Because their authors, or by defending opinions strange or hide any weakness of their hypotheses, it is not surprising that use vulgar that make their supporters, but signs are not empty, with no or very little significance.
Then there are other abuses, which, frequently used words in the language that the property has been attached to important ideas, without any truly established meaning.
This is because men learn the names before they have the ideas belonging to them and continue throughout their entire life doing it and without making the effort to fix in their minds certain ideas , used his words to mean their confused notions, contenting himself with the same words as others, as if these sounds carry the same meaning. So obviously concerned with his speeches with an abundance of empty verbiage and unintelligible noises. Are often mere sounds.
Another great abuse of words is inconstancy in use. As the purpose of words to be signs of my ideas, to communicate them to others, not by any natural signification, but by a voluntary imposition, it's a great abuse, that sometimes means one thing and sometimes a different .
Another abuse of language is affected in a dark, well, applying new meanings to words or unusual, or by introducing new and ambiguous terms, without defining them or putting them together, so it its usual meaning confusing.
not surprising that philosophers of antiquity and later the Scholastics found in the Subtlety a good reason to conceal their ignorance by a set of confusing words and to obtain the admiration of others through unintelligible terms, capable of producing amazing how much harder it is to be understood.
This art of alienating others in the true knowledge has spread worldwide. Well, other well-meaning very wise men, whose education and circumstance has not allowed them to use the "subtlety" can communicate intelligibly with each other and take advantage of language in normal use and thus clarify understanding.
Then, they have done nothing but confuse the meaning of words and thus have made the language somewhat less useful.
Locke proposes that the human race, make use of the words plain and direct language that has been taken to improve knowledge and join the society, not be employed to destroy and hide the truth rights of peoples.
The purposes of language are:
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make known the thoughts of a man or his ideas, to another.
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Doing more easily possible.
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Transmit knowledge of things.
Regarding the last point, there is no knowledge of things and the same not be transmitted in words, if the ideas of men do not fit the reality of the words.
The man who has in any language words that correspond to ideas in his mind that this has only meaningless noise issue, as these, when used in his speech and it will not advance their knowledge, their words are empty sounds.
should be constantly use the same sign for the same idea.
who use words from any language to mean different ideas, words that are usually applied in that country, it can using those words than usual, to communicate anything else. To do this, you must first define your terms giving, effectively their thoughts.
who have complex ideas without names, lack of freedom in their expressions, will not be misinterpreted and misunderstood.
who apply names to ideas different from the common usage, have no property in their language and this will become meaningless jargon.
In terms of modes and relations are exposed to problems, you can have in memory mode names, eg, gratitude and love, lacking ideas. You can also have the idea and do not know the origin of its name.
can not in the case of modes and relations have ideas incompatible with the existence of things, because the modes are complex ideas forged by the mind at will "and relationships" are the way to consider or compare things to one another. "
Another
Abuse is the figurative expressions, this is seen in the rhetoric and only serve to insinuate wrong ideas, move passions to seduce the trial.
