John Locke Primary Qualities Of Scientific Realism

Scientific realism is defined as the idea that a person should believe what science tells us about unobservable matter, such as quarks and dark matter. For example, if science tells us that the matter in a lap top computer is warm and circular, although such information is unobservable, our best scientific theories prove this to be the truth, and so we should believe such. John Locke dives deeper into scientific realism and knowledge of the external- meaning unobservable- world through something he calls quality distinction. Locke observes our sensory picture (i.e the world we perceive through our senses being composed of certain sizes, shapes, colors, textures, smells and tastes) and our scientific picture (i.e what science tell us about
Primary qualities are elemental properties of an object, which the object possesses by nature. These qualities can not be taken away or destroyed, even through an alteration of size or shape of the object. Primary qualities are the properties which are fundamental in all objects known to man, and are constant from perceiver to perceiver, whether human or animal kind. They do not alter at any point in perception. Primary qualities are observable and consist of qualities such as shape, size, motion, rest, texture and solidity. With the consistent primary qualities comes quite the contrary secondary qualities. Secondary qualities are defined by Locke as powers an object possesses which produce in an observer various sensations. Secondary qualities consist of colors, sounds, tastes (i.e nothing actually in the object itself like primary qualities, but rather how we interpret an object). Secondary qualities depend on the arrangement of primary qualities and in turn affect our sensory organs and are no more than the “power” an object hold to appear a certain way. Locke sees secondary qualities as being able to produce sensations or ideas that help define our definition of an object and exists dependently to a perceiver. Each person is affected by these “powers” in secondary qualities differently and therefore, we all see the world different. Without different
By arguing that our ideas and interpretations of external objects are only a resemblance, Locke opens up a gap between what we perceive as real and what is actually real. This gap is incredibly deep and dark and leads us to ask questions such as, “does anyone know what is actually real? Is there an ‘actual’ wired external to what we perceive? Can we actually know anything for sure? Is what we perceive simply what we perceive? Will we ever know an object truly? Or will we simply know it as how we interpret its qualities?” These questions leave us feeling almost in the dark about the world we know which is just that- the world we know. Can it be true that there is a world which we will never actually know? External world skepticism is generated by the fact that our knowledge of the world is incomplete and does not reach a complete level of certitude. These are the skepticisms of our external world as we know it. Further even more radical skepticism questions how do we even know there is an external world beyond our existing perceptions? Why do/would we believe that an external object is more than the primary and secondary qualities and how we perceive them? How can we possibly speak intelligently about something we literally have no capability of understanding in scientific terms? It is difficult to pose such