phrase
Latin
also: Philosophy & Psychology
Tabula Rasa
lit. โscraped tabletโ
A blank slate, especially as a starting condition.
Origin
John Locke used 'tabula rasa' to argue that the human mind is born empty and is shaped by experience โ the foundational claim of empiricism. The phrase itself goes back to Aristotle.
Modern usage
Used in psychology, design, software ('tabula rasa redesign'), and any context where someone is starting from zero.
Tags
origin
philosophy