Lesson 1.6: The Blank Slate
From The Luxury of Virtue by R. C. M. García
February 6, 2026 · 1h 8m · Season 2 · Episode 6
About this episode
This episode explores Locke's concept of the blank slate and the implications of his empiricism, including objections from other philosophers and modern cognitive science.
Locke promises a "blank slate" mind—but once you follow the logic, his empiricism starts sliding toward skepticism. Topics discussed: * Three "contenders" for what knowledge is: Descartes (JTB + foundationalism); Bacon (knowledge as power); Locke (empiricism) * Locke's tabula rasa (blank slate) and why he rejects innate ideas * How Locke tries to calm intellectual arrogance: learn the limits of the human mind * Objections to Locke: Berkeley's skeptical pressure, Hume's problem of induction, and modern cognitive-science pushback on the blank slate * How each theory hits a wall (utility vs certainty vs "reliable enough") * Pyrrhonian skepticism as a therapy for overconfidence in theory
People in this episode
Host: R. C. M. García
Topics covered
- empiricism
- skepticism
- knowledge
- intellectual arrogance
- cognitive science
- theory
Keywords
- Locke
- empiricism
- skepticism
- knowledge
- tabula rasa
- cognitive science
- theory
Mentioned in this episode
Books & works: tabula rasa
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- Lesson 1: Overreliance on AI · February 10, 2026 · 32 min
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