Prokopton42
Symbolic illustration of An Essay Concerning Human Understanding in the Prokopton42.com Library

Work

An Essay Concerning Human Understanding

John Locke

The Essay examines the origin and composition of ideas, personal identity, and the limits of knowledge.

Composition
1689-1700; revised lifetime editions
Sources and precision

Sorting follows first publication. French and English manifestations retain their own dates and section differences.

Confidence A · direct evidence

  • Prokopton42 corpus manifestation manifests
Languages
English · French
Extent
1,114 passages · 257,071 words

Before reading

What you will learn

Take a disputed term, trace the ideas composing it, then separate what experience warrants as knowledge from what remains probable judgment.

Short summary

The Essay examines the origin and composition of ideas, personal identity, and the limits of knowledge.

Long summary

This edition joins three English Gutenberg transcriptions to Pierre Coste’s historical French translation. Canonical identity follows book, chapter and section. Sections missing from one manifestation remain monolingual and are never attached to a neighbor.

The reading distinguishes sensation and reflection, simple and complex ideas, qualities, identity, knowledge and probability. The 1975 editorial PDF remains a doxographer witness outside dialogue.

Inside this work

The table of contents follows the divisions actually carried by the corpus.

Work › Book › Chapter › Section

Book 189 passages
Chapter 18 passages
  1. Section S1
  2. Section S2
  3. Section S3
  4. Section S4
  5. Section S5
  6. Section S6
  7. Section S7
  8. Section S8
Chapter 228 passages
  1. Section S1
  2. Section S2
  3. Section S3
  4. Section S4
  5. Section S5
  6. Section S6
  7. Section S7
  8. Section S8
  9. Section S9
  10. Section S10
  11. Section S11
  12. Section S12
  13. Section S13
  14. Section S14
  15. Section S15
  16. Section S16
  17. Section S17
  18. Section S18
  19. Section S19
  20. Section S20
  21. Section S21
  22. Section S22
  23. Section S23
  24. Section S24
  25. Section S25
  26. Section S26
  27. Section S27
  28. Section S28
Chapter 327 passages
  1. Section S1
  2. Section S2
  3. Section S3
  4. Section S4
  5. Section S5
  6. Section S6
  7. Section S7
  8. Section S8
  9. Section S9
  10. Section S10
  11. Section S11
  12. Section S12
  13. Section S13
  14. Section S14
  15. Section S15
  16. Section S16
  17. Section S17
  18. Section S18
  19. Section S19
  20. Section S20
  21. Section S21
  22. Section S22
  23. Section S23
  24. Section S24
  25. Section S25
  26. Section S26
  27. Section S27
Chapter 426 passages
  1. Section S1
  2. Section S2
  3. Section S3
  4. Section S4
  5. Section S5
  6. Section S6
  7. Section S7
  8. Section S8
  9. Section S9
  10. Section S10
  11. Section S11
  12. Section S12
  13. Section S13
  14. Section S14
  15. Section S15
  16. Section S16
  17. Section S17
  18. Section S18
  19. Section S19
  20. Section S20
  21. Section S21
  22. Section S22
  23. Section S23
  24. Section S24
  25. Section S25
  26. Section S26
Book 2531 passages
Chapter 125 passages
  1. Section S1
  2. Section S2
  3. Section S3
  4. Section S4
  5. Section S5
  6. Section S6
  7. Section S7
  8. Section S8
  9. Section S9
  10. Section S10
  11. Section S11
  12. Section S12
  13. Section S13
  14. Section S14
  15. Section S15
  16. Section S16
  17. Section S17
  18. Section S18
  19. Section S19
  20. Section S20
  21. Section S21
  22. Section S22
  23. Section S23
  24. Section S24
  25. Section S25
Chapter 23 passages
  1. Section S1
  2. Section S2
  3. Section S3
Chapter 32 passages
  1. Section S1
  2. Section S2
Chapter 46 passages
  1. Section S1
  2. Section S2
  3. Section S3
  4. Section S4
  5. Section S5
  6. Section S6
Chapter 51 passage
  1. Section S1
Chapter 62 passages
  1. Section S1
  2. Section S2
Chapter 710 passages
  1. Section S1
  2. Section S2
  3. Section S3
  4. Section S4
  5. Section S5
  6. Section S6
  7. Section S7
  8. Section S8
  9. Section S9
  10. Section S10
Chapter 826 passages
  1. Section S1
  2. Section S2
  3. Section S3
  4. Section S4
  5. Section S5
  6. Section S6
  7. Section S7
  8. Section S8
  9. Section S9
  10. Section S10
  11. Section S11
  12. Section S12
  13. Section S13
  14. Section S14
  15. Section S15
  16. Section S16
  17. Section S17
  18. Section S18
  19. Section S19
  20. Section S20
  21. Section S21
  22. Section S22
  23. Section S23
  24. Section S24
  25. Section S25
  26. Section S26
Chapter 915 passages
  1. Section S1
  2. Section S2
  3. Section S3
  4. Section S4
  5. Section S5
  6. Section S6
  7. Section S7
  8. Section S8
  9. Section S9
  10. Section S10
  11. Section S11
  12. Section S12
  13. Section S13
  14. Section S14
  15. Section S15
Chapter 1010 passages
  1. Section S1
  2. Section S2
  3. Section S3
  4. Section S4
  5. Section S5
  6. Section S6
  7. Section S7
  8. Section S8
  9. Section S9
  10. Section S10
Chapter 1117 passages
  1. Section S1
  2. Section S2
  3. Section S3
  4. Section S4
  5. Section S5
  6. Section S6
  7. Section S7
  8. Section S8
  9. Section S9
  10. Section S10
  11. Section S11
  12. Section S12
  13. Section S13
  14. Section S14
  15. Section S15
  16. Section S16
  17. Section S17
Chapter 128 passages
  1. Section S1
  2. Section S2
  3. Section S3
  4. Section S4
  5. Section S5
  6. Section S6
  7. Section S7
  8. Section S8
Chapter 1328 passages
  1. Section S1
  2. Section S2
  3. Section S3
  4. Section S4
  5. Section S5
  6. Section S6
  7. Section S7
  8. Section S8
  9. Section S9
  10. Section S10
  11. Section S11
  12. Section S12
  13. Section S13
  14. Section S14
  15. Section S15
  16. Section S16
  17. Section S17
  18. Section S18
  19. Section S19
  20. Section S20
  21. Section S21
  22. Section S22
  23. Section S23
  24. Section S24
  25. Section S25
  26. Section S26
  27. Section S27
  28. Section S28
Chapter 1431 passages
  1. Section S1
  2. Section S2
  3. Section S3
  4. Section S4
  5. Section S5
  6. Section S6
  7. Section S7
  8. Section S8
  9. Section S9
  10. Section S10
  11. Section S11
  12. Section S12
  13. Section S13
  14. Section S14
  15. Section S15
  16. Section S16
  17. Section S17
  18. Section S18
  19. Section S19
  20. Section S20
  21. Section S21
  22. Section S22
  23. Section S23
  24. Section S24
  25. Section S25
  26. Section S26
  27. Section S27
  28. Section S28
  29. Section S29
  30. Section S30
  31. Section S31
Chapter 1513 passages
  1. Section S1
  2. Section S2
  3. Section S3
  4. Section S4
  5. Section S5
  6. Section S6
  7. Section S7
  8. Section S8
  9. Section S9
  10. Section S10
  11. Section S11
  12. Section S12
  13. Section S13
Chapter 168 passages
  1. Section S1
  2. Section S2
  3. Section S3
  4. Section S4
  5. Section S5
  6. Section S6
  7. Section S7
  8. Section S8
Chapter 1722 passages
  1. Section S1
  2. Section S2
  3. Section S3
  4. Section S4
  5. Section S5
  6. Section S6
  7. Section S7
  8. Section S8
  9. Section S9
  10. Section S10
  11. Section S11
  12. Section S12
  13. Section S13
  14. Section S14
  15. Section S15
  16. Section S16
  17. Section S17
  18. Section S18
  19. Section S19
  20. Section S20
  21. Section S21
  22. Section S22
Chapter 187 passages
  1. Section S1
  2. Section S2
  3. Section S3
  4. Section S4
  5. Section S5
  6. Section S6
  7. Section S7
Chapter 194 passages
  1. Section S1
  2. Section S2
  3. Section S3
  4. Section S4
Chapter 2018 passages
  1. Section S1
  2. Section S2
  3. Section S3
  4. Section S4
  5. Section S5
  6. Section S6
  7. Section S7
  8. Section S8
  9. Section S9
  10. Section S10
  11. Section S11
  12. Section S12
  13. Section S13
  14. Section S14
  15. Section S15
  16. Section S16
  17. Section S17
  18. Section S18
Chapter 2175 passages
  1. Section S1
  2. Section S2
  3. Section S3
  4. Section S4
  5. Section S5
  6. Section S6
  7. Section S7
  8. Section S8
  9. Section S9
  10. Section S10
  11. Section S11
  12. Section S12
  13. Section S13
  14. Section S14
  15. Section S15
  16. Section S16
  17. Section S17
  18. Section S18
  19. Section S19
  20. Section S20
  21. Section S21
  22. Section S22
  23. Section S23
  24. Section S24
  25. Section S25
  26. Section S26
  27. Section S27
  28. Section S28
  29. Section S29
  30. Section S30
  31. Section S31
  32. Section S32
  33. Section S33
  34. Section S34
  35. Section S35
  36. Section S36
  37. Section S37
  38. Section S38
  39. Section S39
  40. Section S40
  41. Section S41
  42. Section S42
  43. Section S43
  44. Section S44
  45. Section S45
  46. Section S46
  47. Section S47
  48. Section S48
  49. Section S49
  50. Section S50
  51. Section S51
  52. Section S52
  53. Section S53
  54. Section S54
  55. Section S55
  56. Section S56
  57. Section S57
  58. Section S58
  59. Section S59
  60. Section S60
  61. Section S61
  62. Section S62
  63. Section S63
  64. Section S64
  65. Section S65
  66. Section S66
  67. Section S67
  68. Section S68
  69. Section S69
  70. Section S70
  71. Section S71
  72. Section S72
  73. Section S73
  74. Section S74
  75. Section S75
Chapter 2212 passages
  1. Section S1
  2. Section S2
  3. Section S3
  4. Section S4
  5. Section S5
  6. Section S6
  7. Section S7
  8. Section S8
  9. Section S9
  10. Section S10
  11. Section S11
  12. Section S12
Chapter 2337 passages
  1. Section S1
  2. Section S2
  3. Section S3
  4. Section S4
  5. Section S5
  6. Section S6
  7. Section S7
  8. Section S8
  9. Section S9
  10. Section S10
  11. Section S11
  12. Section S12
  13. Section S13
  14. Section S14
  15. Section S15
  16. Section S16
  17. Section S17
  18. Section S18
  19. Section S19
  20. Section S20
  21. Section S21
  22. Section S22
  23. Section S23
  24. Section S24
  25. Section S25
  26. Section S26
  27. Section S27
  28. Section S28
  29. Section S29
  30. Section S30
  31. Section S31
  32. Section S32
  33. Section S33
  34. Section S34
  35. Section S35
  36. Section S36
  37. Section S37
Chapter 243 passages
  1. Section S1
  2. Section S2
  3. Section S3
Chapter 2511 passages
  1. Section S1
  2. Section S2
  3. Section S3
  4. Section S4
  5. Section S5
  6. Section S6
  7. Section S7
  8. Section S8
  9. Section S9
  10. Section S10
  11. Section S11
Chapter 266 passages
  1. Section S1
  2. Section S2
  3. Section S3
  4. Section S4
  5. Section S5
  6. Section S6
Chapter 2731 passages
  1. Section S1
  2. Section S2
  3. Section S3
  4. Section S4
  5. Section S5
  6. Section S6
  7. Section S7
  8. Section S8
  9. Section S9
  10. Section S10
  11. Section S11
  12. Section S12
  13. Section S13
  14. Section S14
  15. Section S15
  16. Section S16
  17. Section S17
  18. Section S18
  19. Section S19
  20. Section S20
  21. Section S21
  22. Section S22
  23. Section S23
  24. Section S24
  25. Section S25
  26. Section S26
  27. Section S27
  28. Section S28
  29. Section S29
  30. Section S30
  31. Section S31
Chapter 2820 passages
  1. Section S1
  2. Section S2
  3. Section S3
  4. Section S4
  5. Section S5
  6. Section S6
  7. Section S7
  8. Section S8
  9. Section S9
  10. Section S10
  11. Section S11
  12. Section S12
  13. Section S13
  14. Section S14
  15. Section S15
  16. Section S16
  17. Section S17
  18. Section S18
  19. Section S19
  20. Section S20
Chapter 2916 passages
  1. Section S1
  2. Section S2
  3. Section S3
  4. Section S4
  5. Section S5
  6. Section S6
  7. Section S7
  8. Section S8
  9. Section S9
  10. Section S10
  11. Section S11
  12. Section S12
  13. Section S13
  14. Section S14
  15. Section S15
  16. Section S16
Chapter 305 passages
  1. Section S1
  2. Section S2
  3. Section S3
  4. Section S4
  5. Section S5
Chapter 3114 passages
  1. Section S1
  2. Section S2
  3. Section S3
  4. Section S4
  5. Section S5
  6. Section S6
  7. Section S7
  8. Section S8
  9. Section S9
  10. Section S10
  11. Section S11
  12. Section S12
  13. Section S13
  14. Section S14
Chapter 3226 passages
  1. Section S1
  2. Section S2
  3. Section S3
  4. Section S4
  5. Section S5
  6. Section S6
  7. Section S7
  8. Section S8
  9. Section S9
  10. Section S10
  11. Section S11
  12. Section S12
  13. Section S13
  14. Section S14
  15. Section S15
  16. Section S16
  17. Section S17
  18. Section S18
  19. Section S19
  20. Section S20
  21. Section S21
  22. Section S22
  23. Section S23
  24. Section S24
  25. Section S25
  26. Section S26
Chapter 3319 passages
  1. Section S1
  2. Section S2
  3. Section S3
  4. Section S4
  5. Section S5
  6. Section S6
  7. Section S7
  8. Section S8
  9. Section S9
  10. Section S10
  11. Section S11
  12. Section S12
  13. Section S13
  14. Section S14
  15. Section S15
  16. Section S16
  17. Section S17
  18. Section S18
  19. Section S19
Book 3210 passages
Chapter 16 passages
  1. Section S1
  2. Section S2
  3. Section S3
  4. Section S4
  5. Section S5
  6. Section S6
Chapter 28 passages
  1. Section S1
  2. Section S2
  3. Section S3
  4. Section S4
  5. Section S5
  6. Section S6
  7. Section S7
  8. Section S8
Chapter 320 passages
  1. Section S1
  2. Section S2
  3. Section S3
  4. Section S4
  5. Section S5
  6. Section S6
  7. Section S7
  8. Section S8
  9. Section S9
  10. Section S10
  11. Section S11
  12. Section S12
  13. Section S13
  14. Section S14
  15. Section S15
  16. Section S16
  17. Section S17
  18. Section S18
  19. Section S19
  20. Section S20
Chapter 417 passages
  1. Section S1
  2. Section S2
  3. Section S3
  4. Section S4
  5. Section S5
  6. Section S6
  7. Section S7
  8. Section S8
  9. Section S9
  10. Section S10
  11. Section S11
  12. Section S12
  13. Section S13
  14. Section S14
  15. Section S15
  16. Section S16
  17. Section S17
Chapter 516 passages
  1. Section S1
  2. Section S2
  3. Section S3
  4. Section S4
  5. Section S5
  6. Section S6
  7. Section S7
  8. Section S8
  9. Section S9
  10. Section S10
  11. Section S11
  12. Section S12
  13. Section S13
  14. Section S14
  15. Section S15
  16. Section S16
Chapter 651 passages
  1. Section S1
  2. Section S2
  3. Section S3
  4. Section S4
  5. Section S5
  6. Section S6
  7. Section S7
  8. Section S8
  9. Section S9
  10. Section S10
  11. Section S11
  12. Section S12
  13. Section S13
  14. Section S14
  15. Section S15
  16. Section S16
  17. Section S17
  18. Section S18
  19. Section S19
  20. Section S20
  21. Section S21
  22. Section S22
  23. Section S23
  24. Section S24
  25. Section S25
  26. Section S26
  27. Section S27
  28. Section S28
  29. Section S29
  30. Section S30
  31. Section S31
  32. Section S32
  33. Section S33
  34. Section S34
  35. Section S35
  36. Section S36
  37. Section S37
  38. Section S38
  39. Section S39
  40. Section S40
  41. Section S41
  42. Section S42
  43. Section S43
  44. Section S44
  45. Section S45
  46. Section S46
  47. Section S47
  48. Section S48
  49. Section S49
  50. Section S50
  51. Section S51
Chapter 76 passages
  1. Section S1
  2. Section S2
  3. Section S3
  4. Section S4
  5. Section S5
  6. Section S6
Chapter 82 passages
  1. Section S1
  2. Section S2
Chapter 923 passages
  1. Section S1
  2. Section S2
  3. Section S3
  4. Section S4
  5. Section S5
  6. Section S6
  7. Section S7
  8. Section S8
  9. Section S9
  10. Section S10
  11. Section S11
  12. Section S12
  13. Section S13
  14. Section S14
  15. Section S15
  16. Section S16
  17. Section S17
  18. Section S18
  19. Section S19
  20. Section S20
  21. Section S21
  22. Section S22
  23. Section S23
Chapter 1034 passages
  1. Section S1
  2. Section S2
  3. Section S3
  4. Section S4
  5. Section S5
  6. Section S6
  7. Section S7
  8. Section S8
  9. Section S9
  10. Section S10
  11. Section S11
  12. Section S12
  13. Section S13
  14. Section S14
  15. Section S15
  16. Section S16
  17. Section S17
  18. Section S18
  19. Section S19
  20. Section S20
  21. Section S21
  22. Section S22
  23. Section S23
  24. Section S24
  25. Section S25
  26. Section S26
  27. Section S27
  28. Section S28
  29. Section S29
  30. Section S30
  31. Section S31
  32. Section S32
  33. Section S33
  34. Section S34
Chapter 1127 passages
  1. Section S1
  2. Section S2
  3. Section S3
  4. Section S4
  5. Section S5
  6. Section S6
  7. Section S7
  8. Section S8
  9. Section S9
  10. Section S10
  11. Section S11
  12. Section S12
  13. Section S13
  14. Section S14
  15. Section S15
  16. Section S16
  17. Section S17
  18. Section S18
  19. Section S19
  20. Section S20
  21. Section S21
  22. Section S22
  23. Section S23
  24. Section S24
  25. Section S25
  26. Section S26
  27. Section S27
Book 4284 passages
Chapter 19 passages
  1. Section S1
  2. Section S2
  3. Section S3
  4. Section S4
  5. Section S5
  6. Section S6
  7. Section S7
  8. Section S8
  9. Section S9
Chapter 215 passages
  1. Section S1
  2. Section S2
  3. Section S3
  4. Section S4
  5. Section S5
  6. Section S6
  7. Section S7
  8. Section S8
  9. Section S9
  10. Section S10
  11. Section S11
  12. Section S12
  13. Section S13
  14. Section S14
  15. Section S15
Chapter 331 passages
  1. Section S1
  2. Section S2
  3. Section S3
  4. Section S4
  5. Section S5
  6. Section S6
  7. Section S7
  8. Section S8
  9. Section S9
  10. Section S10
  11. Section S11
  12. Section S12
  13. Section S13
  14. Section S14
  15. Section S15
  16. Section S16
  17. Section S17
  18. Section S18
  19. Section S19
  20. Section S20
  21. Section S21
  22. Section S22
  23. Section S23
  24. Section S24
  25. Section S25
  26. Section S26
  27. Section S27
  28. Section S28
  29. Section S29
  30. Section S30
  31. Section S31
Chapter 418 passages
  1. Section S1
  2. Section S2
  3. Section S3
  4. Section S4
  5. Section S5
  6. Section S6
  7. Section S7
  8. Section S8
  9. Section S9
  10. Section S10
  11. Section S11
  12. Section S12
  13. Section S13
  14. Section S14
  15. Section S15
  16. Section S16
  17. Section S17
  18. Section S18
Chapter 511 passages
  1. Section S1
  2. Section S2
  3. Section S3
  4. Section S4
  5. Section S5
  6. Section S6
  7. Section S7
  8. Section S8
  9. Section S9
  10. Section S10
  11. Section S11
Chapter 616 passages
  1. Section S1
  2. Section S2
  3. Section S3
  4. Section S4
  5. Section S5
  6. Section S6
  7. Section S7
  8. Section S8
  9. Section S9
  10. Section S10
  11. Section S11
  12. Section S12
  13. Section S13
  14. Section S14
  15. Section S15
  16. Section S16
Chapter 720 passages
  1. Section S1
  2. Section S2
  3. Section S3
  4. Section S4
  5. Section S5
  6. Section S6
  7. Section S7
  8. Section S8
  9. Section S9
  10. Section S10
  11. Section S11
  12. Section S12
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Chapter 813 passages
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Chapter 93 passages
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Chapter 1019 passages
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Chapter 1114 passages
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Chapter 1215 passages
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Chapter 134 passages
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Chapter 144 passages
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Chapter 156 passages
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Chapter 1614 passages
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Chapter 1724 passages
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Chapter 1811 passages
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Chapter 1915 passages
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Chapter 2017 passages
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Chapter 215 passages
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  2. Section S2
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  5. Section S5

Concepts covered

Historical context

The world around the text

The corpus manifests do not yet establish the precise place and circumstances of composition. The images below document the author’s world or the text’s transmission. They do not claim to show the exact scene of writing.

These are modern reconstructions. They situate a documented place, practice, or transmission and are not period documents.

Modern reconstruction of Observation at Oxford for An Essay Concerning Human Understanding on Prokopton42.com
Observation at OxfordA conjectural reconstruction of disciplined observation in Locke’s Oxford setting. No specific undocumented experiment is claimed.Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: John Locke
Modern reconstruction of Revision in Dutch exile for An Essay Concerning Human Understanding on Prokopton42.com
Revision in Dutch exileA conjectural reconstruction of manuscript revision during exile. No manuscript wording is reproduced.Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: John Locke
Modern reconstruction of Anonymous proofs in London for An Essay Concerning Human Understanding on Prokopton42.com
Anonymous proofs in LondonA conjectural print-shop scene that marks the work’s anonymous publication. The printer, room and exact moment are reconstructed.Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: John Locke

What the world looked like

World of 1989

Modern reconstruction of the material world around An Essay Concerning Human Understanding: Technology, science, and care
Technology, science, and carePersonal computers, satellites, video, industrial robots, and expensive mobile phones exist, but the public Web does not yet. Computing, genetics, climate science, cosmology, and medical imaging produce growing data and international collaboration. CT, MRI, transplantation, vaccines, and intensive care advance; the AIDS epidemic exposes both medical capacity and its limits.
Modern reconstruction of the material world around An Essay Concerning Human Understanding: Travel and communication
Travel and communicationCars, high-speed rail, metros, aircraft, and containers globalize people and goods. Fixed telephones, fax, television, radio, and newspapers predominate. Email and computer networks remain mainly professional or academic.
Modern reconstruction of the material world around An Essay Concerning Human Understanding: Farming and food
Farming and foodMachinery, chemical inputs, breeding, and cold chains support high yields with increasingly debated social and environmental costs.
Modern reconstruction of the material world around An Essay Concerning Human Understanding: Clothing, women and men
Clothing, women and menLoose suits, jeans, trainers, women’s power suits, sportswear, and urban subcultures create highly varied silhouettes.
State of technology
Personal computers, satellites, video, industrial robots, and expensive mobile phones exist, but the public Web does not yet.
Science and knowledge
Computing, genetics, climate science, cosmology, and medical imaging produce growing data and international collaboration.
Medicine and care
CT, MRI, transplantation, vaccines, and intensive care advance; the AIDS epidemic exposes both medical capacity and its limits.
Transport
Cars, high-speed rail, metros, aircraft, and containers globalize people and goods.
Agriculture and food
Machinery, chemical inputs, breeding, and cold chains support high yields with increasingly debated social and environmental costs.
Communication
Fixed telephones, fax, television, radio, and newspapers predominate. Email and computer networks remain mainly professional or academic.
Clothing and fashion
Loose suits, jeans, trainers, women’s power suits, sportswear, and urban subcultures create highly varied silhouettes.

Editions, translations, and provenance

The following carriers represent the text. They do not create new passage identities.

  • Englishsource_language_transcription
  • Frenchhistorical_translation
  • English AI-generated translation, non-officialCodex gpt-5.6-sol · Non-official working translation · 2026-09-30
  • French AI-generated translation, non-officialCodex gpt-5.6-sol · Non-official working translation · 2026-09-30

Source manifests: locke.essay_human_understanding

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