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Essay about john locke philosophy
Locke and Jefferson Comparison
John locke philosophy
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John Locke was born on august 29,1632 in the United Kingdom. He then died on October 28, 1704, his cause of death was supposedly a prolonged decline of health. He was one of the most honored philosophers in his time. He was also inspiring in the range of theology, religious toleration, and educational theory. When Locke was at Oxford he dedicated most of his time studying medicine and philosophy.
Locke was a person that always said that men are free and equal. Since governments exist by the approval of the citizens in order to make sure they are protected and show that they are good, if the government fails they can ask for either new people in the government or ask for a whole new government. This is why many people consider him very important in US History and why he’s one of the most honored philosophers. He also defends the principle executive powers and separation. He denied that church or church members should get into anything or that they tried to get any power.
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He made many little statements that later on ended being very well known statements. On of those statements is “Life, Liberty, and pursuit of Happiness” Not only did it influence people but it also influenced Thomas Jefferson and he ended up putting that statement in the Declaration of Independence. Even Thomas Jefferson said that he was one of the most important philosophers. Locke believed that the government is a very important source in life. They are there to listen and maybe even do some things you want. He says that the government vital principle that all the citizens gain from and that people will have to surrender some rights in order to be considered that you're apart of the society they are living
John Locke, an English philosophe, like many other philosophes of his time worked to improve society by advocating for the individual rights of people. John Locke strongly believed in more rights for the people and was against oppression. In his book, Second Treatise on Civil Government, Locke stated, “(W)e must consider, what state all men are naturally in, and that is, a state of perfect freedom to order their actions, and dispose [manage] of their possessions . . .” (Document A). Locke means every man is naturally equal, no one was created better and he has certain guaranteed rights. This helps society because it would deny a monarch to strip a person of their guaranteed rights and it would make the monarch less powerful and his/her power would be given to the people. The greatest change to government Locke states as necessary, “(W)hen the government is dissolved [ended], the people are at liberty to provide themselves, by erecting a new legislative [lawma...
John Locke was an English philosopher who lived during 1632-1704. In political theory he was equally influential. Contradicting Hobbes, Locke maintained that the original state of nature was happy and characterized by reason and tolerance; all human beings were equal and free to pursue "life, health, liberty, and possessions." The state formed by the social contract was guided by the natural law, which guaranteed those inalienable rights. He set down the policy of checks and balances later followed in the U.S. Constitution; formulated the doctrine that revolution in some circumstances is not only a right but an obligation; and argued for broad religious freedom.
Locke stated that society could overthrow the government without returning to the state of nature because the social contract would still be in effect. All that was needed would be for the society to elect another government, by majority rule, to replace the old one. This introduces the idea that government should be accountable to the people. Locke was in favor of a limited government. The importance and autonomy of the individual in society was of great importance to Locke.
John Locke, Rousseau, and Napoleon all have very different views on what would make a good society. Locke uses a democracy/republican type view that many countries still model after today. Locke’s view on a happy society is the most open and kind to its people, out of the three. Rousseau takes the complete opposite stance from Locke in thinking a more dictatorship government would be what is best for society as a whole as what is good for one person is good for one’s society. Napoleon plays by his own rules with telling people he will follow Lockean like views only to really want to be an absolutist government under his own power. However, all of their ideas would work for a given society so long as they had a set of laws in place and citizens
...her sources, so the government is steered into a straight path of justice.Locke's theories on government are also justified by the fact that man is capable of doing good towards others, and the society helps men protect one another. This enables man to be content in society, so that he is not always on the lookout for offenders of the laws of nature, for the laws of justice within the society will punish offenders, and treat everyone equally.Another prominent reason as to why Locke's system of government works so well is because it develops innocently out of the state of nature, solely for the well being of the society's individuals, which is achieved through the unity of those indivduals to form the society.John Locke died on October 28, 1704, at the age of seventy-two. John Locke was recognized as a great political philosopher during his own lifetime, and his theories would spread across the world and influence countless other individuals, as well as nations. The basic points of Locke's system of government was that there should be a constitutional government, in which the power goes up. The people allow the ruler to govern, and it is with their consent that he is able to do so.
Locke was an influential and intelligent thinker. Property and nature were highly recognized by Locke. That was more of his prized possession. He demonstrated the fight for rights and believed people were sovereign. Liberty rights, property rights and life rights. Locke believed that everyone should be treated equally. I a white person can do it, so can a black. If an African did it, so can an Asian. All rights were equal for everyone. Equality was a state of Locke’s that he tried to enlarge. No man was/is superior to another. He demonstrates freedom and individualism as well as regards to the bill of rights and
Locke’s you must understand what his idea of Natural Law and Naturals Rights. Mr. Locke talks about natural laws and rights and how applies to everyone, he believes where we’re all separate and have some type of freewill. He explains that people should have protection on their personal rights thought-out all societies. He felt that we were offering some of our rights to the government to keep order are ok, but they must have legitimate reasoning. This means we would should have a say when it comes to government and limiting their control over everything.
John Locke, amongst other things, was a 17th century political philosopher who became renowned for his beliefs in the state of nature, natural law and the inalienable rights of man; often being referred to as the ‘Father of Liberalism’. At their time of writing, Locke’s ideas were considered to be revolutionary thoughts in an extremely conservative world; in which absolute power commonly ruled over the masses and where inequality simply went unchallenged. John Locke’s theories were paramount in both the Glorious Revolution and the American Revolution, and there are numerous reasons as to why this is so.
John Locke, born on Aug. 29, 1632, in Somerset, England, was an English philosopher and political theorist. Locke was educated at Christ Church, Oxford, where he followed the traditional classical curriculum and then turned to the study of medicine and science, receiving a medical degree, but his interest in philosophy was reawakened by the study of Descartes. He then joined the household of Anthony Ashley Cooper, later the earl of Shaftesbury, as a personal physician at first, becoming a close friend and advisor. Shaftesbury secured for Locke a series of minor government appointments. In 1669, in one of his official capacities, Locke wrote a constitution for the proprietors of the Carolina Colony in North America, but it was never put into effect. In 1671 Locke began to write his greatest work, the Essay Concerning Human Understanding, which took nearly twenty years to complete since he was deeply engaged in Shaftesbury's political affairs. In 1675, after the liberal Shaftesbury had fallen from favor, Locke went to France. In 1679 he returned to England, but in view of his opposition to the Roman Catholicism favored by the English monarchy at that time, he soon found it expedient to return to the Continent. From 1683 to 1688 he lived in Holland, and following the Glorious Revolution of 1688 and the restoration of Protestantism to favor, Locke returned once more to England. The new king, William III, appointed Locke to the Board of Trade in 1696, a position from which he resigned because of ill health in 1700. He died in Oates on October 28, 1704.
John Locke’s accomplishments was writing the essay “Concerning Human Understanding” which was the theories of ideas and knowledge which was published in 1689 and his other accomplishment was “The Two Treatises of Civil Government” which is about the rights of individuals and the answer to political problems in England and gave the United States ideas for their own constitution and led to democracy and this was also published in 1690. Locke’s achievements helped to contribute a new way of living for people and a new way of thinking and a way of survival by saying they can get through life with and without authority and they have the right to challenge the authority that is in charge of them once they feel they are not being treated as people.
Locke believed that although we have a right to liberty, but that it did not give anybody the opportunity to abuse it. He states in The Second Treatise of Civil Government that,”… no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty, or possessions” (Locke 2). Similarly, Locke believes that we are granted these rights by the government from birth. Locke says that a government has a duty to preserve the rights of the people. But if they were to fail in that aspect, Locke says that rebellion is permissible. He writes,”…if a long train of actions shew the councils all tending that way; how can a man any more hinder himself from being persuaded in his own mind, which way things are going; or from casting about how to save himself… (Locke 1). Thomas Paine was not as influenced by Locke in Common Sense, but Locke undoubtedly had a significant role in shaping Paine’s views. For example, Locke permits rebellion under certain circumstances and Paine developed strong opinions about gaining independence. At least to some extent, Locke had a large influence on the writings and ideology of Thomas Jefferson and Thomas Paine; and therefore on the creation of the United States of
Locke believes that everyone is born as a blank slate. According to Locke there is no innate human nature but human nature is something we create. And because we are born as an equal blank slate all men have the opportunity to create human nature therefore Locke believed all men are created equal. Unlike Bentham Locke believed that government needed to take a step back and allow for each individual to have the right to three things: life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. The Governments role should not be in dictating people what to do but to allow individuals to their three
One of the most influential political philosophers. In Two Treatises of Government he defended that men are free by nature and equal against all claims of god. John argued that people had rights to life, liberty, and property. Locke used the claim to justification for understanding the politically government. Also, important for his defense of the right of revolution. Locke defends the right of majority rule and separation of legislative and the executor powers. In the Letter Concerning Toleration he rejected that people should join on true religion.
Locke used the arguments that a government is nothing if it is not supported by the power of its citizens. He argued that the citizens of the government were not well represented in the government so it was justified to be overthrown. This is what he thought about the overthrowing of King James of England in 1688. Locke argued that if the people in a country were to dissolve then the government in that country will also dissolve. He saw a country as a big group of people with similar views. He talks about how society decides to act as a whole group. When they split apart is when society becomes different groups and the government then falls. Many colonists were from England and witnessed or knew about the Glorious revolution and felt like they were mistreated the same way the people of England did at that time. Locke’s ideas played a major role in influencing the colonists to realize they were not being treated fairly and they had a right to fight for freedom to create their own
John Locke was an English philosopher and Physician. Locke was born on August 29, 1632 in Wrington, Somerset. He was viewed as one of the most important philosophers. Not only that, Locke was classified as the “Father of Liberalism” and founded the school of empiricism. He inspired both the European Enlightenment and the Constitution of the United States.