English Philosopher and Empiricist
[1632-1704]
Locke was born into a middle class puritan family and while he attended Oxford, associated with notables such as Newton and Boyle.
He left Oxford in 1683 because he disagreed with his colleagues about Charles II and worked on his Essay . This Essay , which was four books, dealt with reality and perception. In particular, Locke believed that non-mental entities could only be understood by using our own mental entities that represent them. In Locke's opinion, we must control our belief-making capabilities. To do this, one must collect information for and against a certain idea and after weighing the evidence between the two sides, make a decision on the appropriate side to choose.
In the Second Treatise of Government, Locke argues that property is the fundamental glue that holds together any society. In Locke's state of nature, man claims property through his labor. To protect this property, man enters into a social contract with others in the community. In opposition to Hobbes state of nature, the soverign of such a community is held responsible for his actions in regards to the citizenry, and they are allowed to dissolve the social contract at any time that they feel their property rights are infringed upon.
It should be noted that Locke's liberal ideas were incorporated in the Declaration of Independence seventy years later.
Other sources of information
The Window-Locke
John Locke
John Locke [Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy]
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