1001Philosophers

John Locke vs Rene Descartes

Locke and Descartes set the agenda for early modern epistemology, with Locke's empiricism developed in part as a critical response to Cartesian rationalism.

At a glance

John LockeRene Descartes
Dates1632 – 17041596 – 1650
NationalityEnglishFrench
EraModernModern
Movements Empiricism, Enlightenment, Social Contract Rationalism, Early Modern Philosophy
Profile John Locke → Rene Descartes →

Where they agree

Both held that the new natural sciences require a philosophical foundation, both worked outside the universities, and both took the analysis of ideas as the central method of philosophy. Both held that the self exists as a substance and that there is a real distinction between mental and material reality.

Where they disagree

Descartes held that the mind has innate ideas — including the idea of God, the principles of mathematics, and basic logical truths — that are present in the intellect prior to experience. Locke rejected innate ideas: the mind at birth is a blank slate, and all ideas come from sensation or reflection on the operations of the mind. Their disagreement reframes the question of what the senses contribute to knowledge, with consequences across the whole subsequent history of empiricism.

Representative quotes

John Locke

  • “No man's knowledge here can go beyond his experience.”

    Book II, Ch. 1, sec. 19

  • “All mankind being all equal and independent, no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty, or possessions.”

    Second Treatise of Government , Ch. II, sec. 6

  • “The end of law is not to abolish or restrain, but to preserve and enlarge freedom.”

    Second Treatise of Government , Ch. VI, sec. 57

Rene Descartes

  • “I think, therefore I am.”

    Je pense, donc je suis.

  • “If you would be a real seeker after truth, it is necessary that at least once in your life you doubt, as far as possible, all things.”

    In order to seek truth, it is necessary once in the course of our life, to doubt, as far as possible, of all things.

  • “No doubt you know that Galileo had been convicted not long ago by the Inquisition, and that his opinion on the movement of the Earth had been condemned as heresy. Now I will tell you that all things I explain in my treatise , among which is also that same opinion about the movement of the Earth, all depend on one another, and are based upon certain evident truths. Nevertheless, I will not for the world stand up against the authority of the Church. ...I have the desire to live in peace and to continue on the road on which I have started.”

    Letter to Marin Mersenne (end of Feb., 1634) as quoted by Amir Aczel , Pendulum: Leon Foucault and the Triumph of Science (2003)

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