"That the mind of man, previous to the information of the senses, is a tabula rasa, a blank, without ideas, without knowledge, is a doctrine too well supported by this great master of reason to suffer a shock."

— Baker, William (1742-1785)


Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for G. Peach
Date
1770
Metaphor
"That the mind of man, previous to the information of the senses, is a tabula rasa, a blank, without ideas, without knowledge, is a doctrine too well supported by this great master of reason to suffer a shock."
Metaphor in Context
That the mind of man, previous to the information of the senses, is a tabula rasa, a blank, without ideas, without knowledge, is a doctrine too well supported by this great master of reason to suffer a shock. It has been, notwithstanding, attacked with arguments drawn from professor Saunderson, who excelled in the mathematics, and was acquainted with the properties of cones, cylinders, squares, circles, &c. though blind from a year old.
(p. 135n)
Provenance
Searching "tabula rasa" in ECCO
Citation
Only 1 entry in ESTC (1770).

Peregrinations of the Mind Through the Most General and Interesting Subjects, Which Are Usually Agitated in Life. By the Rationalist. (London: Printed for G. Pearch, Numb. 12, in Cheapside, 1770). <Link to ESTC>
Theme
Blank Slate; Lockean Philosophy
Date of Entry
10/13/2006

The Mind is a Metaphor is authored by Brad Pasanek, Assistant Professor of English, University of Virginia.