John Locke was born in 1632. He grew to become one of the most influential philosophers and was seen as the father of the Enlightenment. Locked studied at the Christ Church of Oxford in 1658 (AR). At Oxford he studied medicine which impacted his beliefs a great deal. His most famous works include First Treatise of Government, Second Treatise of Government, and Letter Concerning Toleration (AR). In his treatises he proclaimed that absolute monarchy was not the proper way to govern. These beliefs about a monarchy started in him at a very young age. His Letter Concerning Toleration claims that governments do not have the right to interfere with citizen’s creeds unless they are a threat to the greater good. Locke’s ideas became foundational for Europe and America. In his Letter Concerning Toleration Locke shows that the magistrate needs to be a judge of earthly struggles and not to focus on religious procedures which is necessary because these are struggles that happen in every culture.
John Locke addresses several hard-hitting topics in his text A Letter Concerning Toleration. One of these issues is whether or not a magistrate’s jurisdiction should cover salvation. Locke’s stance on this matter was very definite. John Locke believed that no one is responsible for another’s soul. “The care of souls cannot belong to the civil magistrate, because his power consists only in outward force,” (Locke 4). The soul does not dwell under physical laws or powers, so the magistrate cannot have authority over it. “For no man can, if he would, conform his faith to the dictates of another,” (Locke 4). Furthermore, every person has control over their soul and enjoys the ability to have that control. Nothing can take away that cont...
... middle of paper ...
...l. Furthermore, most places in the world a Christian will go they will be faced with persecution and laws that they may not agree with. John Locke provides some key insight for such situations. Chances are someday each person will be faced with a situation when they need to decide to follow the law even if it does not agree with their faith or morals. No matter what day and age one reads John Locke’s statements about church and state the arguments presented will always be relevant and vitally important.
Works Cited
AR " Locke, John " The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Politics. Ed Iain McLean and Alistair McMillan. Oxford University Press 2009. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press. Grove City College. 28 August 2011 http://www.oxfordreference.com/views/ENTRY.html?subview=Main&entry=t86.e754
Locke, John. “A Letter Concerning Toleration.” Print.
One of the most influential Enlightenment thinkers was John Locke, an English philosopher and physician. His work and ideas had a incomputable impact on modern day society. He was known as “Father of Liberalism” due to his opinions of freedoms and liberty. According to Locke, the people were entitled to have control over themselves as long as it adheres to the law. The Second Treatise on Civil Government by John
In it, Adams talks about the three natural rights as a right to life, a right to liberty, and a right to property. He refers to this as, “…the first law of nature.” He continues on by expressing how men have the right to stay in a state of nature for as long as they wish and that they also have the right to leave as well. Men also have the right to worship God as they see fit and in absolute peace. Although there were differing opinions on religion then, just as there are now, Adams states that the mutual tolerance of the different denominations was practiced and “…this spirit of toleration, in the fullest extent consistent with the being of a civil society, is the chief characteristical mark of the Church.” He also talks about how governments are not allowed to take what they want because they are in authority. Adams closes by stating that “freedom is a gift from God and to alienate it would make one a
"There is a higher law than civil law- the law of conscience- and that when these laws are in conflict, it is a citizen's duty to obey the voice of God within rather than that of the civil authority without," (Harding 207). As Harding described in his brief explanation of Henry David Thoreau's Civil Disobedience, there are some instances in which it is necessary to disobey a social law. Martin Luther King, Jr., in addition to Thoreau, reasoned that should a civil law be judged unjust, one had a moral obligation not only to himself but also to those around him to disregard that particular law in exchange for a higher one voiced by God.
John Locke is considered one of the best political minds of his time. The modern conception of western democracy and government can be attributed to his writing the Second Treatise of Government. John Locke championed many political notions that both liberals and conservatives hold close to their ideologies. He argues that political power should not be concentrated to one specific branch, and that there should be multiple branches in government. In addition to, the need for the government to run by the majority of the population through choosing leaders, at a time where the popular thing was to be under the rule of a monarch. But despite all of his political idea, one thing was extremely evident in his writing. This was that he preferred limited
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.
John Locke is known as the “Father of Classical Liberalism” and is said to be one of the most influential philosophers. Locke believed that all humans are born with natural rights and had the right to protect their “Life, liberty, health and possessions”. Locke also believed that we have the right to overthrow our government if we didn’t like it or got tired of it and he wanted a limited
John Locke wrote the Two Treatises of Government. In his work Locke talked about how governments are not created by God, but by human beings. He claimed that by nature all people are free and equal against the claims of God and that a government should work between the governor and the ones being governed, instead of a governor and God. Locke also wrote several religious essays that served as an early model for the separation of the church and the state. His phrase of “life, liberty, and property,” would end up influencing the United States’ early documents. Locke’s Essay Concerning Human Understanding expressed the idea that knowledge neglects inmate ideas and in order to discover the truth beyond simple experience, he suggested methods of experimental science. Thoughts Concerning Education expressed Locke’s idea on how the mind can be educated by having a healthy body, a pure character, and the right academic curriculum. Later on, it would be acknowledged by Jean-Jacques Rousseau.
John Locke (1632–1704) was an English philosopher who is often credited with being the originator of liberalism. Locke’s personal life was one of accomplishment and success. He graduated from Oxford in 1656, taught philosophy, and published works on philosophy, politics, religion, and education.
The primary purpose of this essay is stated in the title. It is to consider whether certain principles presented in the second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence and commonly referred to as human rights are supported by the authority of God 's word. A secondary goal is to consider how society might be influenced to establish and maintain laws which agree with God 's moral authority. Yet a third goal is to consider how free exercise of human rights might be impacted by obedience and disobedience to God 's moral authority.
John Locke is the most influential character in American history, thought, and practice. Without the influence of his writings, America would not have the same foundation of unalienable Rights, stable governance, and quality of life. However, Locke remains widely unknown and unstudied by the newer generations of Americans. His most influential work, the Second Treatises of Government, laid the ground, both theoretically and institutionally, for the American system of government that has been enjoyed for over two centuries. His influence on the American way of thinking is made evident when examining the text of the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution.
Furthermore, Locke's passion for morality is also seen in his interpretation of the social contract. We see that Locke's ideas in freedom of life, liberty, and property have formed the basic morals of past and current governments. One of Edwards's morals that have been seen throughout American history is the infinite sovereignty of G...
John Locke, one of the leading philosophers of the European Enlightenment was very important when it came to political thought in the United States. His ideas of the reasons, nature, and limits of the government became especially important in the development of the Constitution. In one of his most famous writings of that time, Two Treatises on Government (1689), Locke established a theory where personal liberty could coexist with political power ; meaning that the people would agree to obey the government and in return, the government would have the responsibility of respecting the people’s natural rights. In other words, he laid out a social contract theory that provided the philosophy and source of a governing author...
In my work The Two Treaties of Government, I placed a great emphasis on property and government. I believe that citizens of the state should have the freedom to practise their choice of religion. As, I have previously distinguished the separation of religion from the government in my document, A letter Concerning Toleration, 1685. To further understand this concept you must refer back to the The Two Treaties of Government.
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
In conclusion, Locke influenced the Founders of the United States heavily. The rights of man in the preservation of their property, lives and liberty have been guaranteed because of these ideas. Hume, though a skeptic, I believe would not be as skeptical now because there is now history of a government by the consent of the governed. Rousseau’s ideas have been vanquished by Locke’s ideas.