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John Locked argued that our experiences can be divided into “primary” and “secondary” qualities. While primary qualities belong to the object (like mass, quantity), secondary qualities belong to us (like taste, texture, color). Hence, we do not experience the world directly: we experience representations of the external world in our minds. This position is called “representative realism.”

Answer the following two questions. Do NOT use websites; only the course e-text and whatever is found under Modules of this week. And offer substantial comments and/or questions to at least two of your fellow students. 

1. Summarize, in your own words, the distinction between primary and secondary qualities. 

2. If Locke’s representative realism is correct, than how can we know for sure that what appears in our minds is actually found in the external world?  After all, people with mental illness and those on hallucinogens perceive all kinds of things that aren’t there. How do we know that the world, including the computer that you are typing on, is not simply in our minds?  

Sources:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENk4dmUYHrA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFlEgxeGUPU