Thursday, September 17, 2009

An Essay concerning Human Understanding (quote provided by Vanessa Johnson, Associate Poetry Editor)

"A studious blind Man, who had mightily beat his head about visible Objects, and made use of the explication of his Books and Friends, to understand those names of Light, and Colours, which often came in his way; bragg'd one day, That he now understood what Scarlet signified. Upon which his Friend demanding, what Scarlet was? the blind Man answered, It was like the Sound of a Trumpet. Just such an Understanding of the name of any other simple Idea will he have, who hopes to get it only from a Definition, or other Words made use of to explain it."

--John Locke, Book II Chapter iv Section 11 of An Essay concerning Human Understanding

[Thought I'd share a bit of poetic philosophy.]

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