Q0248
“As far as this consciousness can be extended backwards to any past…” — John Locke (Essay II.27.9)
Verified English quotation. Primary source: Essay II.27.9. Theme: humanity.
English
As far as this consciousness can be extended backwards to any past action or thought, so far reaches the identity of that person.
Source and attribution
The archive attributes this English wording to Essay II.27.9 and files it under British Empiricism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
About John Locke
John Locke (1632–1704) was the English philosopher of empiricism and liberal politics whose Essay Concerning Human Understanding and Two Treatises of Government defined a century’s agenda. Associated with Shaftesbury and the Glorious Revolution settlement, he wrote on toleration, education, and money.
Interpretation
Locke's definition of a person is doing specific work in his account of responsibility and resurrection. A person is not the same thing as a human body or a soul-substance; it is a forensic notion — the bearer of consciousness that can extend backwards and own past actions. This is why he can say that someone who remembers a past action is answerable for it. The definition is counter-intuitive, and he acknowledges the cases that make it strange.
Why it matters
Its lasting relevance is to questions of responsibility over time: what makes you answerable for what you did is that you can now own it, not merely that you did it.
Concepts in this quote
- Humanity
- Humanity names both the species and the moral quality of being humane—bridging anthropology and ethics.
- Self
- Philosophy quotes about self explore identity, responsibility, and the examined life—from Socrates’ unexamined life to modern phenomenology and existential authenticity.
How to cite this quotation
APA: John Locke. (n.d.). As far as this consciousness can be extended backwards to any past action or thought, so far reaches the identity of that person. In Philosophy Blind Box. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0248
MLA: John Locke. “As far as this consciousness can be extended….” Philosophy Blind Box, https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0248.
Chicago: John Locke. “As far as this consciousness can be extended….” Philosophy Blind Box. Accessed 2026. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0248.
Frequently asked questions
What is the source of the quotation “As far as this consciousness can be extended…”?
The passage is attributed to John Locke, Essay II.27.9. The archive attributes this English wording to Essay II.27.9 and files it under British Empiricism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
What does John Locke mean by humanity?
Philosophers ask what makes humans distinctive, what we owe one another as humans, and how “humanity” can include or exclude. This passage enters that discussion through humanity, self.