Where was john locke born
His personal life was rather barren as he never married and had no children. In later life, he studied to achieve a degree in medicine, which he received in Meanwhile, Locke had been working in partnership with a number of famous figures, including Thomas Willis and Robert Boyle. In , he met the Earl of Shaftesbury, Lord Anthony Ashley Cooper, who was suffering from liver disease and hoped to find an effective treatment in Oxford.
The earl persuaded Locke to go into politics and he rose to become the Secretary of the Board of Trade. Although a capable student, Locke was irritated by the undergraduate curriculum of the time. Through his friend Richard Lower , whom he knew from the Westminster School, Locke was introduced to medicine and the experimental philosophy being pursued at other universities and in the Royal Society , of which he eventually became a member.
Locke was awarded a bachelor's degree in February and a master's degree in June Ashley was impressed with Locke and persuaded him to become part of his retinue. At Oxford, he was exposed to the writings of Islamic scholars, such as Ibn Tufayl 's Hayy ibn Yaqdhan translated by Edward Pococke , who influenced his perspectives on philosophy and tabula rasa.
Locke had been looking for a career and in , moved into Ashley's home at Exeter House in London, to serve as his personal physician.
In London, Locke resumed his medical studies under the tutelage of Thomas Sydenham. Sydenham had a major effect on Locke's natural philosophical thinking—an effect that would become evident in An Essay Concerning Human Understanding. Locke's medical knowledge was put to the test when Ashley's liver infection became life-threatening.
Locke coordinated the advice of several physicians and was probably instrumental in persuading Ashley to undergo surgery then life-threatening in itself to remove the cyst. Ashley survived and prospered, crediting Locke with saving his life. During this time, Locke served as Secretary of the Board of Trade and Plantations and Secretary to the Lords Proprietors of Carolina , which helped to shape his ideas on international trade and economics.
Ashley, as a founder of the Whig movement, exerted great influence on Locke's political ideas. Locke became involved in politics when Ashley became Lord Chancellor in Ashley being created 1st Earl of Shaftesbury in Following Shaftesbury's fall from favour in , Locke spent some time travelling across France as a tutor and medical attendant to Caleb Banks.
Around this time, most likely at Shaftesbury's prompting, Locke composed the bulk of the Two Treatises of Government. While it was once thought that Locke wrote the Treatises to defend the Glorious Revolution of , recent scholarship has shown that the work was composed well before this date. Although Locke was associated with the influential Whigs , his ideas about natural rights and government are considered quite revolutionary for that period in English history.
Locke fled to the Netherlands in in the company of Shaftesbury , under strong suspicion of involvement in the Rye House Plot , although there is little evidence to suggest that he was directly involved in the scheme. While in the Netherlands, he lived under the pen-name dr. Van Linden. Locke did not return home until after the Glorious Revolution.
Locke accompanied Mary II back to England in The bulk of Locke's publishing took place upon his return from exile—his aforementioned Essay Concerning Human Understanding , the Two Treatises of Government and A Letter Concerning Toleration all appearing in quick succession. Locke's close friend Lady Masham invited him to join her at Otes, the Mashams' country house in Essex.
Although his time there was marked by variable health from asthma attacks, he nevertheless became an intellectual hero of the Whigs. During this period, he discussed matters with such figures as John Dryden and Isaac Newton. After a lengthy period of poor health, [ 33 ] Locke died on 28 October , and is buried in the churchyard of All Saints' Church in High Laver , near Harlow in Essex, where he had lived in the household of Sir Francis Masham since He did not live long enough to see the Act of Union of , but the thrones of England and Scotland were held in personal union throughout his lifetime.
Constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy were in their infancy during Locke's time. Locke has an engraved floor memorial plaque at Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford. In the late 17th and early 18th centuries, Locke's Two Treatises were rarely cited. Historian Julian Hoppit said of the book "except among some Whigs, even as a contribution to the intense debate of the s it made little impression and was generally ignored until though in Oxford in it was reported to have made 'a great noise'.
In the 50 years after Queen Anne's death in , the Two Treatises were reprinted only once except in the collected works of Locke. However, with the rise of American resistance to British taxation, the Second Treatise of Government gained a new readership; it was frequently cited in the debates in both America and Britain.
The first American printing occurred in in Boston. Michael Zuckert has argued that Locke launched liberalism by tempering Hobbesian absolutism and clearly separating the realms of Church and State. He had a strong influence on Voltaire , who called him " le sage Locke". His arguments concerning liberty and the social contract later influenced the written works of Thomas Jefferson.
One passage from the Second Treatise is reproduced verbatim in the Declaration of Independence, the reference to a "long train of abuses". Concerning Locke, Jefferson wrote: [ 39 ] [ 40 ] [ 41 ]. Bacon , Locke and Newton I consider them as the three greatest men that have ever lived, without any exception, and as having laid the foundation of those superstructures which have been raised in the Physical and Moral sciences.
Locke's influence may have been even more profound in the realm of epistemology. At the time, Locke's recognition of two types of ideas, simple and complex —and, more importantly, their interaction through association—inspired other philosophers, such as David Hume and George Berkeley , to revise and expand this theory and apply it to explain how humans gain knowledge in the physical world.
Writing his Letters Concerning Toleration — in the aftermath of the European wars of religion , Locke formulated a classic reasoning for religious tolerance , in which three arguments are central: [ 46 ]. With regard to his position on religious tolerance, Locke was influenced by Baptist theologians like John Smyth and Thomas Helwys , who had published tracts demanding freedom of conscience in the early 17th century.
His tract, The Bloudy Tenent of Persecution for Cause of Conscience , which was widely read in the mother country, was a passionate plea for absolute religious freedom and the total separation of church and state. Locke's views on slavery were multifaceted. Although he wrote against slavery in general, Locke was an investor and beneficiary of the slave-trading Royal Africa Company.
While secretary to the Earl of Shaftesbury , Locke also participated in drafting the Fundamental Constitutions of Carolina , which established a quasi-feudal aristocracy and gave Carolinian planters absolute power over their enslaved chattel property; the constitutions pledged that "every freeman of Carolina shall have absolute power and authority over his negro slaves".
John locke background info
Philosopher Martin Cohen observes that Locke, as secretary to the Council of Trade and Plantations and a member of the Board of Trade , was "one of just half a dozen men who created and supervised both the colonies and their iniquitous systems of servitude". Historian Holly Brewer argues that Locke's role in the Constitution of Carolina has been exaggerated and that he was merely paid to revise and make copies of a document that had already been partially written before he became involved; she compares Locke's role to a lawyer writing a will.
He specifically attacked colonial policy granting land to slave owners and encouraged the baptism and Christian education of the children of enslaved Africans to undercut a major justification of slavery—that they were heathens who possessed no rights. In his Two Treatises of Government , Locke provided a justification for slavery that could never be met, thus rendering invalid all forms of slavery that existed.
Moreover, because slavery is invalid, there is a moral injunction to try to throw off and escape from it. Locke's political theory was founded upon that of social contract. Unlike Thomas Hobbes , Locke believed that human nature is characterised by reason and tolerance. Like Hobbes, Locke believed that human nature allows people to be selfish.
This is apparent with the introduction of currency. In a natural state , all people were equal and independent, and everyone had a natural right to defend his "life, health, liberty, or possessions". However, Locke never refers to Hobbes by name and may instead have been responding to other writers of the day.
These ideas would come to have profound influence on the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States. According to Locke, unused property is wasteful and an offence against nature, [ 67 ] but, with the introduction of "durable" goods , men could exchange their excessive perishable goods for those which would last longer and thus not offend the natural law.
In his view, the introduction of money marked the culmination of this process, making possible the unlimited accumulation of property without causing waste through spoilage. In his view, the introduction of money eliminates limits to accumulation. Locke stresses that inequality has come about by tacit agreement on the use of money, not by the social contract establishing civil society or the law of land regulating property.
Locke was aware of a problem posed by unlimited accumulation, but did not consider it his task. He just implies that government would function to moderate the conflict between the unlimited accumulation of property and a more nearly equal distribution of wealth; he does not identify which principles that government should apply to solve this problem.
However, not all elements of his thought form a consistent whole. For example, the labour theory of value in the Two Treatises of Government stands side by side with the demand-and-supply theory of value developed in a letter he wrote titled Some Considerations on the Consequences of the Lowering of Interest and the Raising of the Value of Money. Moreover, Locke anchors property in labour but, in the end, upholds unlimited accumulation of wealth.
Locke's general theory of value and price is a supply-and-demand theory, set out in a letter to a member of parliament in , titled Some Considerations on the Consequences of the Lowering of Interest and the Raising of the Value of Money. His idea is based on "money answers all things" Ecclesiastes or "rent of money is always sufficient, or more than enough" and "varies very little".
Locke concludes that, as far as money is concerned, the demand for it is exclusively regulated by its quantity, regardless of whether the demand is unlimited or constant. He also investigates the determinants of demand and supply. For supply , he explains the value of goods as based on their scarcity and ability to be exchanged and consumed.
He explains demand for goods as based on their ability to yield a flow of income. Locke develops an early theory of capitalisation , such as of land, which has value because "by its constant production of saleable commodities it brings in a certain yearly income". He considers the demand for money as almost the same as demand for goods or land: it depends on whether money is wanted as medium of exchange.
As a medium of exchange, he states that "money is capable by exchange to procure us the necessaries or conveniences of life", and for loanable funds "it comes to be of the same nature with land by yielding a certain yearly income Locke distinguishes two functions of money: as a counter to measure value , and as a pledge to lay claim to goods.
John locke quotes: The English philosopher and political theorist John Locke () laid much of the groundwork for the Enlightenment and made central contributions to the development of liberalism. Trained.
He believes that silver and gold, as opposed to paper money , are the appropriate currency for international transactions. Silver and gold, he says, are treated to have equal value by all of humanity and can thus be treated as a pledge by anyone, while the value of paper money is only valid under the government which issues it.
Locke argues that a country should seek a favourable balance of trade , lest it fall behind other countries and suffer a loss in its trade. Since the world money stock grows constantly, a country must constantly seek to enlarge its own stock. Locke develops his theory of foreign exchanges, by which in addition to commodity movements, there are also movements in country stock of money, and movements of capital determine exchange rates.
He considers the latter less significant and less volatile than commodity movements. As for a country's money stock, if it is large relative to that of other countries, he says it will cause the country's exchange to rise above par, as an export balance would do. Locke prepares estimates of the cash requirements for different economic groups landholders , labourers, and brokers.
In each group he posits that the cash requirements are closely related to the length of the pay period. He argues the brokers—the middlemen —whose activities enlarge the monetary circuit and whose profits eat into the earnings of labourers and landholders, have a negative influence on both personal and the public economy to which they supposedly contribute.
Locke uses the concept of property in both broad and narrow terms: broadly, it covers a wide range of human interests and aspirations; more particularly, it refers to material goods. He argues that property is a natural right that is derived from labour. In Chapter V of his Second Treatise , Locke argues that the individual ownership of goods and property is justified by the labour exerted to produce such goods—"at least where there is enough [land], and as good, left in common for others" para.
Locke states in his Second Treatise that nature on its own provides little of value to society, implying that the labour expended in the creation of goods gives them their value. From this premise, understood as a labour theory of value , [ 73 ] Locke developed a labour theory of property , whereby ownership of property is created by the application of labour.
Locke's friendships and collaborations, particularly with influential figures like Lord Ashley, later the Earl of Shaftesbury, were significant to his personal and professional development. This relationship allowed Locke to engage deeply in political and social matters, helping shape the foundations of modern democracy.
However, despite such enriching associations, there are no records or evidence suggesting Locke engaged in romantic attachments or married, highlighting his singular focus on his philosophical and medical endeavors.
John locke philosophy
His legacy remains tied to his writings and ideas rather than personal connections, leaving a profound impact on Western thought. John Locke is regarded as a foundational figure in Western philosophy, particularly known for his contributions to political philosophy and epistemology. Born in Wrington, England, he was the son of a lawyer and military captain.
Throughout his life, Locke's writings profoundly influenced the development of modern democratic thought, emphasizing the concepts of natural rights and the social contract. His intellect was shaped by a distinguished education at Westminster School and Christ Church, University of Oxford, where he initially pursued a medical career before pivoting to philosophy.
Locke's close relationship with Lord Ashley, later the Earl of Shaftesbury, played a significant role in both his political beliefs and his professional journey. As Shaftesbury's personal physician and secretary, Locke became embroiled in his patron's Whig political endeavors, significantly shaping his views on governance and individual freedoms.
His seminal works, including "Two Treatises of Government" and "An Essay Concerning Human Understanding," continue to be pivotal texts in the study of political philosophy and human cognition. John Locke was an influential philosopher and physician born on August 29, , in Wrington, Somerset, England. He is best known for his pioneering ideas in political philosophy, epistemology, and education, which significantly shaped modern Western thought.
Locke's political theories, particularly regarding natural rights and the social contract, laid the intellectual foundation for major revolutions, including the American and French revolutions. Locke began his education at Westminster School, where he excelled as a King's Scholar. He furthered his studies at Christ Church, University of Oxford, where he immersed himself in logic, metaphysics, and medicine.
His academic journey was notable, earning him a Bachelor of Medicine in His education was fundamental in shaping his philosophical and political insights. Thus, when a king loses the consent of the governed, a society may remove him—an approach quoted almost verbatim in Thomas Jefferson 's Declaration of Independence. Locke famously wrote that man has three natural rights: life, liberty and property.
Atheists whose oaths could not be trusted and Catholics who owed allegiance to an external ruler were thus excluded from his scheme. He died there on October 28, , as Lady Damaris read to him from the Psalms. You can opt out at any time. You must be 16 years or older and a resident of the United States.