PJPJOPH Volume 5 Number 1 2026

FROM TABULA RASA TO ALGORITHMS: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN THE LIGHT OF LOCKEAN EPISTEMOLOGY

Felix Odibe MA
Abstract

This research explores the implications of John Locke’s epistemology on the modern artificial intelligence. The paper examines how advancements in artificial intelligence can challenge traditional notions of knowledge and the subject of knowledge. The paper indicated that the increasing sophistication of AI systems, which simulate human-like reasoning and learning processes, blurs the boundaries between human cognition and machine intelligence. The paper established the relationships between AI and Locke's theory of knowledge, which emphasized that knowledge arises from sensory experience and reflection. The paper seeks to illuminate the evolving landscape of knowledge acquisition and dissemination in an age increasingly defined by artificial agents. The study will also address the broader philosophical implications of AI’s epistemic status, contributing to the ongoing discourse on the nature of understanding and consciousness in the context of technological advancement as epitomized by AI. As AI continues to evolve and integrate into various facets of human life, it is imperative to critically assess its epistemic capabilities and the implications for our traditional understanding of knowledge and consciousness. This research aims to contribute to this vital discourse, offering insights that may help navigate the complexities of knowledge in an increasingly intelligent artificially dominating world. It is therefore important for the effectiveness of general cognitive faculties—such as memory, attention, and abstraction—to process experience into usable knowledge. By integrating Locke’s principles with contemporary artificial intelligence developments, it advances the debate on what it means to "know" in a world increasingly mediated by artificial agents in the evolving landscape of knowledge.

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