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Essays over the puritans
John locke philosophyu
John locke philosophyu
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According to Steven Pinker, “The strongest argument against totalitarianism may be a recognition of a universal human nature; that all humans have innate desires for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The doctrine of the blank slate...is a totalitarian dream” (Brainyquotes). John Locke who was a political writer, an Oxford scholar, medical researcher, and physican. He was widley known as the philospher that challanged the flaws of humanity. Being so widely known as an excellent writer in the 17th century, in his piece An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, Locke confronts the flaws of humanity. As a result of being a great writer and philosopher Locke was also raised in a very wealthy setting. Being that he was raised in a very wealthy setting Locke challenges the flaws of Humanity. Through his piece An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, Locke further challenges these flaws but connecting them to his basis of religion, the time he spent in exile in Holland, and being a well known philosopher.
Blank slate; purity; cleanliness these are the three pieces that John Locke describes in his essay An Essay Concerning Human Understanding. John Locke who was a well known philosopher implements blank slate because he reveals that for innate principles were the building blocks of humanity. Locke was overt about innateness of moral principles. For he once said, “Conscience no proof of any innate moral rule” (Locke Bk 1. Ch 3.par 8). Locke explores the concept of innate principle by portraying that the rights of citizenships should not be based upon morals, but based upon a persons own thinking. In the article John Locke, Property Rights, and Economic Theory, the author contributes, “What is not arguable is that some portion of t...
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Locke expressed the ideal that men are created equal and nevertheless men will flourish with independence and freedom, “no one having more than another” (Locke 101). In this way, Locke believes that an individual should have the capability to find happiness through equality and human freedoms. Even with these naturally positive and good qualities, Locke believes that there are potential for bad tendencies within man. With this possibility for negative attributes, a government is essential to protect them from themselves and to guarantee that equality will prosper. He introduces the main ideas that govern a community, “Life, Liberty and Property” (Locke 101). These are the freedoms that every individual within the community should have, and the government should follow these rights because mankind is naturally good. Hobbes opposes this view and believes that men are naturally immoral and base actions on personal desires rather than the greater good. Hobbes expresses, “So that in the nature of man we find three principal causes of quarrel: first, competition; secondly, diffidence; thirdly, glory” (Hobbes 99). These three principles are the reasons for confrontation, and they are also inevitable. Men act on their desires for wealth and power and also create enemies. In his work Leviathan Hobbes explains that “from [man’s] equality of ability arises equality of hope in the attaining of
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.
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1. The way shown how we come by any knowledge, sufficient to prove it not innate. It is an established opinion amongst some men, that there are in the understanding certain innate principles; some primary notions, koinai ennoiai, characters, as it were stamped upon the mind of man; which the soul receives in its very first being, and brings into the world with it. It would be sufficient to convince unprejudiced readers of the falseness of this supposition, if I should only show (as I hope I shall in the following parts of this Discourse) how men, barely by the use of their natural faculties, may attain to all the knowledge they have, without the help of any innate impressions; and may arrive at certainty, without any such original notions or principles. For I imagine any one will easily grant that it would be impertinent to suppose the ideas of colours innate in a creature to whom God hath given sight, and a power to receive them by the eyes from external objects: and no less unreasonable would it be to attribute several truths to the impressions of nature, and innate characters, when we may observe in ourselves faculties fit to attain as easy and certain knowledge of them as if they were originally imprinted on the mind.
John Locke’s Essay on Human Understanding his primary thesis is our ideas come from experience, that the human mind from birth is a blank slate. (Tabula Rasa) Only experience leaves an impression in our brain. “External objects impinge on our senses,” which interpret ate our perceptions of various objects. The senses fill the mind with content. Nothing can exist in the mind that was not first experienced by the senses. Dualism resembles Locke’s theory that your mind cannot perceive something that the senses already have or they come in through the minds reflection on its own operation. Locke classifies ideas as either simple or complex, simple ideas being the building blocks for complex ideas.
...fear. Locke’s idea that everyone is born free is good for societies that have no established governments because even in his time there was a government. In biblical times his idea would be right on but the transformation of people’s ideas has lead the changes in natural freedom. No one can control where they are born so they may be born in a not so free state. Finally Rousseau’s idea that man is naturally good but corrupted by institutions is somewhat flawed because everyone makes choices to do or not do so people become corrupt through the choices they make in life. Through all this no one philosopher has the right answer to human nature but when we combine their ideas we get a solid way to a good solution that benefits many.
Eastman, Roger. The Ways of Religion: An Introduction to the Major Traditions. Third Edition. Oxford University Press. N.Y. 1999
He also helped us to learn about our human natures, behaviors, and aspirations for freedom and happiness in the world. Without Locke’s revolutionary ideas, the United States and its values would not be the same, and we would not have some of the greatest ideas of empiricism. Works Cited Uzgalis, William, "John Locke." Summer 2010. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Summer 2010 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.)
Segal, Robert. The Blackwell companion to the study of religion. New Jersey: Wiley & Sons, 2006.
The age of the Enlightenment was a rejuvenation of European politics and philosophy. Due to these changes, many great thinkers, such as John Locke and Adam Smith, brought about many changes in European society. John Locke is primarily known for his work, An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, which reasons that all humans are equal in intelligence at birth, having a blank tablet called the tabula rasa. Locke displays that humans gain knowledge through experiences, therefore proving that all people in a society need an education to keep a fair society. Locke also wrote that any individual, regardless of social status, should be guaranteed the rights to life, liberty, and property. He represents Enlightenment reforms because his ideas,