John Locke Quotes About Understanding

Quotes about: Understanding

• The improvement of the understanding is for two ends; first, for our own increase of knowledge; secondly, to enable us to deliver and make out that knowledge to others.

  John Locke

  Education, Knowledge, Two

  "The works of John Locke. To which is added the life of the author and a collection of several of his pieces, publ. by mr. Desmaizeaux".

• Nature never makes excellent things, for mean or no uses: and it is hardly to be conceived, that our infinitely wise Creator, should make so admirable a Faculty, as the power of Thinking, that Faculty which comes nearest the Excellency of his own incomprehensible Being, to be so idlely and uselesly employ'd, at least 1/4 part of its time here, as to think constantly, without remembering any of those Thoughts, without doing any good to it self or others, or being anyway useful to any other part of Creation.

  John Locke

  Wise, Nature, Mean

  John Locke (1815). “An essay concerning human understanding. Also extr. from the author's works, i. Analysis of mr. Locke's doctrine of ideas [&c.].”, p.96

• A father would do well, as his son grows up, and is capable of it, to talk familiarly with him; nay, ask his advice, and consult with him about those things wherein he has any knowledge or understanding. By this, the father will gain two things, both of great moment. The sooner you treat him as a man, the sooner he will begin to be one; and if you admit him into serious discourses sometimes with you, you will insensibly raise his mind above the usual amusements of youth, and those trifling occupations which it is commonly wasted in.

  John Locke

  Growing Up, Father, Son

  "Some Thoughts Concerning Education" by John Locke, (Sec. 95), 1693.

• The Ideas of primary Qualities of Bodies, are Resemblances of them, and their Patterns do really exist in the Bodies themselves; but the Ideas, produced in us by these Secondary Qualities, have no resemblance of them at all. There is nothing like our Ideas, existing in the Bodies themselves. They are in Bodies, we denominate from them, only a Power to produce those Sensations in us: And what is Sweet, Blue or Warm in Idea, is but the certain Bulk, Figure, and Motion of the insensible parts in the Bodies themselves, which we call so.

  John Locke

  Sweet, Science, Blue

  John Locke (1836). “An Essay Concerning Human Understanding”, p.76

• Till a man can judge whether they be truths or not, his understanding is but little improved, and thus men of much reading, though greatly learned, but may be little knowing.

  John Locke

  Reading, Men, Knowing

• When ideas float in our mind, without any reflection or regard of the understanding, it is that which the French call reverie.

  John Locke

  Dream, Philosophical, Reflection

  "An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding".

• Understanding like the eye; whilst it makes us see and perceive all things, takes no notice of itself; and it requires art and pains to set it at a distance and make it its own subject.

  John Locke

  Art, Pain, Distance

  John Locke, James Augustus St. John (1872). “Philosophical Works: Preliminary discourse by the editor. On the conduct of the understanding. An essay concerning human understanding”, p.128

• In my opinion, understanding who your target audience is, and what they want, and writing to them (and only them!) is the most important component of being successful as an author.

  John Locke

  Book, Writing, Successful

• The senses at first let in particular Ideas, and furnish the yet empty Cabinet: And the Mind by degrees growing familiar with some of them, they are lodged in the Memory, and Names got to them.

  John Locke

  Memories, Science, Names

  John Locke, John W. Yolton (1977). “The Locke Reader: Selections from the Works of John Locke with a General Introduction and Commentary”, p.126, CUP Archive

• Defects and weakness in men's understandings, as well as other faculties, come from want of a right use of their own minds; I am apt to think, the fault is generally mislaid upon nature, and there is often a complaint of want of parts, when the fault lies in want of a due improvement of them.

  John Locke

  Lying, Men, Thinking

  John Locke (2007). “Some Thoughts Concerning Education: (Including Of the Conduct of the Understanding)”, p.192, Courier Corporation

• Knowledge is grateful to the understanding, as light to the eyes.

  John Locke

  Grateful, Eye, Light

  John Locke (1778). “Some Thoughts Concerning Education”, p.178

• The difference, so observable in men's understandings and parts, does not arise so much from their natural faculties, as acquired habits.

  John Locke

  Men, Differences, Understanding

  John Locke (1824). “Of human understanding. A defence of Mr. Locke's opinion concerning personal identity. Of the conduct of the understanding. Some thoughts concerning reading and study for a gentleman. Elements of natural philosophy. A new method of common-place-book”, p.264

• There is not so contemptible a plant or animal that does not confound the most enlarged understanding.

  John Locke

  Nature, Animal, Understanding

  John Locke (1825). “An Essay Concerning Human Understanding: An analysis of Mr. Locke's Doctrine of ideas .... A defense of Mr. Locke's Opinion concerning personal identity .... A treatise on the conduct of the understanding. Some thoughts concerning reading and study for a gentleman. Elements of natural philosophy. A new method of a common place book. Extracted from the author's works. With a life of the author”, p.310

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