How did Descartes distinguish between innate ideas and derived ideas?
The mind produces two ideas one is derived and the other is innate idea. According, to Descartes the derived ideas, are those ideas that have application from a direct external stimulus. The innate ideas are not obtained from external physical things instead they are the ones, which develop from the mind and consciousness.
The derived ideas are the experiences that one gains all through his whole life. Derived ideas are gathered by the person as he grows up. The environment he is brought up in. These ideas are dependent on the surrounding of the person, as each individual grows up in different environment. These ideas can be developed overtime, as the individual grows. These ideas can be molded according to the persons need.
The innate ideas are developed before birth. A person is born with these ideas. These ideas sure can be influenced, by the environment in which the person grows up in. However, these ideas cannot be erased from a person’s mind. Even if he does not utilize them it is still there, waiting to be explored.