Nothing is in the intellect that was not first in the senses.

Quote of the Week 40 “Nothing is in the intellect that was not first in the senses. ” ― Thomas Aquinas ( Peripatetic Axiom ) Latin: “Nihil est in intellectu quod non sit prius in sensu. ” Often attributed to John Locke . Lockean Axiom : “There is no idea in the mind that cannot be traced back to some particular experience. ” Further refined by Leibniz : “Nothing is in the intellect that was not first in the senses, except the intellect itself.” ― Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz .