Which of the following is for Locke a primary quality?

A. the sweetness of an apricot B. the song of a thrush    
C. the roundness of the moon D. the smell of a badger  
Ask a friend
       

C.

Locke has a number of tests which he supposes distinguish between primary and secondary qualities. One that you might think works here is: is q 'in' the object? - where q is the quality you are testing.

Tastes, smells and sounds are not themselves 'in' the things that we speak of as being or having or making (or would 'giving off' be fairer to the old B?). But, arguably, roundness really is in the moon.

If you are not convinced by this, you might agree with Berkeley, who of course thought the distinction couldn't be maintained.

 

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