First published in 1689, John Locke's Essay Concerning Human Understanding is widely recognised as among the greatest works in the history of Western philosophy. The Essay puts forward a systematic empiricist theory of mind, detailing how all ideas and knowledge arise from sense experience. Locke was trained in mechanical philosophy and he crafted his account to be consistent with the best natural science of his day. The Essay was highly influential and its rendering of empiricism would become the standard for subsequent theorists. This Companion volume includes fifteen new essays from leading scholars. Covering the major themes of Locke's work, they explain his views while situating the ideas in the historical context of Locke's day and often clarifying their relationship to ongoing work in philosophy. Pitched to advanced undergraduates and graduate students, it is ideal for use in courses on early modern philosophy, British empiricism and John Locke.

John Locke was one of the greatest figures of the Enlightenment, whose assertion that reason is the key to knowledge changed the face of philosophy. These writings on thought, ideas, perception, truth and language are some of the most influential in the history of Western thought. Throughout history, some books have changed the world. They have transformed the way we see ourselves - and each other. They have inspired debate, dissent, war and revolution. They have enlightened, outraged, provoked and comforted. They have enriched lives - and destroyed them. Now Penguin brings you the works of the great thinkers, pioneers, radicals and visionaries whose ideas shook civilization and helped make us who we are.

Proposes a theory of evolution that accounts for the development of human intellect from animal mentality.

Enquiry concerning the principles of morals / Hume, David, 1711-1776.

An Essay Concerning Human Understanding by John Locke is a foundational text in the philosophy of empiricism, exploring the nature of human knowledge and the mind. Published in 1689, this Enlightenment masterpiece challenges the notion of innate ideas, proposing instead that the mind begins as a "tabula rasa" or blank slate, shaped by experience. Locke meticulously dissects the formation of ideas, distinguishing between simple ideas derived from sensory experience and complex ideas constructed by the mind. He examines primary and secondary qualities, emphasizing that our perception of the world is mediated by these qualities. Locke's exploration of personal identity introduces a psychological criterion, laying the groundwork for modern discussions on self and consciousness. The essay also delves into language, knowledge, and belief, offering insights into intuition, mathematics, and moral philosophy. An Essay Concerning Human Understanding remains a pivotal work in the categories of Philosophy, Epistemology, and Enlightenment Studies, influencing thinkers like David Hume and George Berkeley. Locke's clear and methodical approach invites readers to reconsider the origins and limits of human understanding.

David and Mary Norton present the definitive scholarly edition of one of the greatest philosophical works ever written. This first volume contains the critical text of David Hume's Treatise of Human Nature (1739/40), followed by the short Abstract (1740) in which Hume set out the key arguments of the larger work; the volume concludes with A Letter from a Gentleman to his Friend in Edinburgh (1745), Hume's defence of the Treatise when it was under attack from ministers seeking to prevent Hume's appointment as Professor of Moral Philosophy at the University of Edinburgh.

Beginning in 1611 with the King James Bible and ending in 2014 with Elizabeth Kolbert's 'The Sixth Extinction', this extraordinary voyage through the written treasures of our culture examines universally-acclaimed classics such as Pepys' 'Diaries', Charles Darwin's 'The Origin of Species', Stephen Hawking's 'A Brief History of Time' and a whole host of additional works --