JOHN LOCKE (1632-1704)
Feb 23, 2016
JOHN LOCKE
(1632-1704)
Personal life
Born on August 29 in Warrington, a village in Somerset, England
Died in Essex on October 28, 1704 at the age of 72. Never got married and did not have any children. Went to university at the age of 15. He studied at the
Westminster School and University of Oxford.
English philosopher and doctor, also trained in theology. One of the most significant Enlightenment thinkers as a physician
and philosopher. Also known as the "Father of Classical Liberalism“ First philosopher to define self through the continuity of
consciousness
Wrote Two Treatises of Government which was best known for the theories of property and revolution within it.
Composed an essay titled Essay Concerning Human Understanding
Delivered a series of lectures on natural law.Approached the idea that people are basically
good and if someone acts badly it’s because of a bad instinct forced upon them.
Decided all ideas and knowledge are acquired from experience.
Ideas of freedom of religion and right of citizens were considered a challenge to the king’s authority.
Believed a democratic* government would best serve the interest of the people.
*Democratic= wealthy man electing the government
Most Important
Points
Lock believed that people were basically good, and those who acted badly did so because of bad instinct forced upon them
He decided that all ideas and knowledge are acquired through experience
Locke studied at Westminster School and
University of Oxford.Locke wrote Two Treatises
of Government that explained theories of
property and revolution.Locke composed the Essay of Human Understanding.
Sources
“Every man has a property in his own person. This nobody has a right to, but himself.” –John Locke
http://www.egs.edu/library/john-locke/biography/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Locke
http://www.iep.utm.edu/locke/