Real philosophy question vol. shouldn'a slept in class

HTG Designs said:

I was barely awake in my college Philosophy course, so bare with me. I remember my professor saying that there was a philosopher ( or group of philosophers) that believed that ideas/thoughts/ inventions are just free flowing through the universe/time and space and we as humans act as receptors and inherit this info/ knowledge/ idea.

I think the concept was illustrating that no ideas original. We dont generate these ideas, just receive and decide to execute them or disregard.

Can anyone tell me which philosopher(s) introduced or subscribe to this concept?

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supremekickz said:

John Locke or Bertrand Russell?

Or just man up the next time you have class and ask your Prof.

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Master Zik said:

They might've been referring to Plato's Theory of Forms or other philosophers views on it or how they built upon that.

http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/plato-metaphysics/#3

Could also be John Locke's theories on simple and complex ideas perhaps. I'd need to know more about what you remembered about the discussion to be more sure.

EDIT

If you go googling I'd actually suggest to avoid the stanford links cuz they are way more advanced in description than they need to be to explain to ppl in layman's terms.

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Moe Fab said:

Master Zik said:

They might've been referring to Plato's Theory of Forms or other philosophers views on it or how they built upon that.

http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/plato-metaphysics/#3


Could also be John Locke's theories on simple and complex ideas perhaps. I'd need to know more about what you remembered about the discussion to be more sure.


EDIT


If you go googling I'd actually suggest to avoid the stanford links cuz they are way more advanced in description than they need to be to explain to ppl in layman's terms.

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Exactly what came to mind. This might be what you mean. I also recommend looking up Plato's Cave.

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