What aspect of human experience did Condillac's thought experiment highlight?

Condillac's thought experiment emphasized sensory experience as the foundation of knowledge by proposing a scenario in which a statue is given sensation and perception. Through this imaginative experiment, Condillac illustrated that knowledge originates from sensory experiences. He argued that without sensory input, there could be no ideas, concepts, or intellectual development. Essentially, he demonstrated that our understanding of the world is largely constructed from the information received through our senses.

This perspective laid important groundwork for later theories of empiricism, where sensory experience is paramount in the accumulation of knowledge. It highlighted the significance of direct, sensory interaction with the environment as pivotal in shaping human understanding, as opposed to relying solely on abstract reasoning or innate ideas.