John Locke's View Of Color

Colors fall into the secondary qualities category, according to Locke. Locke defined quality as the power to produce any idea in our minds. Secondary qualities are the qualities that have the power to produce various sensations in us by their primary qualities. Locke mentioned that colors are like sensible qualities such as smell and touch. In other words, secondary qualities are what we sense when we see or touch an object. We experience colors in our vision. Certain objects can change colors or one object can produce more than multiple colors. Locke’s example of that is when fire burns in wax have a different color than when it burns in clay. It will create a new idea and sensation. Locke’s view of color is that they are secondary qualities, they are produced based on the primary qualities which are the bulk, figure, extension and motion of an object. Colors are produced within us.
Hardin is explaining the science of seeing color. He also mentioned cones which are the photoreceptors that are relevant to vision. They are three types of cones which are blue, green and red. He summarized how the brain interprets the signal from the cones in the retina in order for us to see color. Hardin’s explanation of the science of seeing color definitely supports Lock’s view of color. Locke’s see colors as secondary qualities that produce based on the primary qualities. Hardin simply explained how seeing color is produced within us which support Locke’s definition of color. Seeing color is different than seeing the texture or the shape of an