...The main idea of natural law is that the natural law is not moral value free. Natural law idea was with high moral standards – the idea of natural law reached ethical decisions and justice. There were never justified immoral acts by the natural law. John Locke was English philosopher who lived in 17th century. He was a modern natural law time philosopher. Natural law in modern ages lost impact of God, in other words, natural law was not obtained by the will of God. Natural law was intuitive and obvious. John Locke developed the ideas of natural law – natural rights and liberal values. My view is that if the natural law basis on the moral standards, then in accordance with natural law and natural rights everyone should be equal with...
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...power right, Locke explains how we must understand the state of all men; a state also of equality. In Book 2—Chapter 2 Of the State of Nature, Locke begins to explain that all men live in a state of perfect power, equality and freedom. Men are all born naturally equal in the same state, where no one has power or privilege over another. Their actions and behaviors cannot be bound by other men. Locke states that the only time a man should obey authority and obedience, is in the presence of God; God is allowed to bequeath some dominance in power of man. He then goes to quote Richard Hooker— an influential Anglican Theologian—who writes that men crave things that satisfy them, such as affection. If they crave these things...
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...John Locke The Unofficial Founder of America John Locke is one of the most important, but largely unknown names in American history. A well renowned English philosopher, educator, government official, and theologian. The Impact of John Lock’s theses had on the Revolutionary war and the subsequent founding of the United States, is apparent to most who study his writings. Arguably Locke’s most influential work is his Second Treatise of Government. His argument was that government should be built on a mutual agreement (contract theory) and when consent of the governed is loss, or when the natural rights and liberties are violated, it is the right of the people to rise up and replace the current government. This theory can easily be seen in the Deceleration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights. Locke’s arguments for...
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...Enlightenment Philosopher Research - John Locke John Locke was an English political philosopher who was one of the most influential Enlightenment thinkers and inspired the world with his ideas about the government and natural rights. He was also known as the “Father of Liberal Philosophy” because of his belief in Liberalism, which is a government whose authority is justified by its respect for human rights. Liberal government must treat individuals with respect, and pass laws that assure people freedom and liberty. He was not a follower for absolutism since he believed that all men are “equal and independent,” so no body should not ever “harm another in his life, health, liberty or possessions.” Locke expanded the idea that the purpose of government is to protect the natural rights of the citizens. He believed that all men should be given three natural rights such as life, liberty and property, and that people naturally receive these rights simply by being born. Therefore, the role of government was to maintain these rights and if a government fails to preserve these rights, then the people have the right to change their government. Locke’s ideas were spread to the American thinkers when two of the English writers, John Trenchard and Thomas Gordon popularized Locke’s political ideas in a famous series of articles published in London newspapers, and these had the most direct impact on American philosophers. Locke’s influence was most apparent in the Declaration of Independence...
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...1 Hobbes v. Locke Do you generally believe people are good? If you trust your fellow man so much, then why do you lock your door? This is a form of the question, the great philosopher, Thomas Hobbes would propose to people who believe that the general human state of nature is good. Thomas Hobbes had a pessimistic view of human nature, similar to John Calvin. Hobbes believed that the rapacious nature of man was for everyone to be at war with everyone. By competing in each person’s own self interest, which led to life being poor, solitary, and brutish until the formation of government. In the state of nature, this enables others to be able to come and take that away from you. This is the intersection where Thomas Hobbes and another great philosopher, John Locke, agree. They both believe that a source of social contract is necessary in order to get along in the state of nature. Although Thomas Hobbes and John Locke both developed the social contract theory, a closer examination of each fundamental philosophy reveals a greater contrast in theory than most fail to realize such as the contrast in origins of government, limitations of government, dwellings of sovereignty, and the rights of revolution. The social contract theory was developed by multiple influential thinkers of political philosophy. One of those men was Thomas Hobbes, who lived during the English Civil War. During this war, he witnessed the collapse of absolute government and therefore influenced his ...
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...works today** John Locke’s Influence on American Democracy John Locke (1632–1704) was a British philosopher, Oxford academic, and political activist. Locke is referred to by many American political philosophers as one of the most influential political philosophers of the modern period. His ideologies and beliefs in regards to politics, religion, and the relationship between a country’s citizens and its government are heavily referenced within some of the United States’ most important documents. Locke’s association with Anthony Ashley Cooper led him to become a successful government official, an economic and political writer, an opposition political activist, and finally a revolutionary whose cause ultimately prevailed in the Glorious Revolution of 1688 (Woolhouse, 2007). John Locke’s many writings and speeches on the importance of the freedom of man from a totalitarian government has influenced American politics dating back to the early days of the Continental Congress and the drafting of the United States Declaration of Independence. Perhaps the most central concept in Locke's political philosophy that influenced American political thought is his theory of natural law and natural rights. Among Locke's political works, he is most famous for the Two Treatise of Government in which he argues that sovereignty resides in the people and explains that man has fundamental natural rights as a human that should not be regulated by an omnipresent government (1689). Locke used the claim...
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...John Locke's contributions in Philosophy and political views are followed and practiced even to this day. Locke’s ideas influenced religion, economics, political change, theories of knowledge and the human understanding that led to governmental and social improvements. John Locke believed in political reform. John Locke is one of the most influential authors and political philosophers in history. His ideas and views have influenced such momentous commodity such as the American constitution. Many of Locke’s ideas were used in the creation of the United States Constitution. John Locke was a British philosopher and medical researcher. Locke was born to Agnes Keene and John Locke on August 29, 1632, in Somerset, England. His father was a Puritan lawyer, who served as a Captain during the English civil war. Locke’s schooling began at Westminster School in 1647. He earned the title of King’s Scholar, which prepared him for the next phase of his education at the Christ Church in Oxford in 1652. He studied literature, physical science, medicine, politics, and natural philosophy. In 1656 he continued for his Master of Arts degree. In 1665 at Oxford, Locke encountered Lord Ashley, a notable statesman looking for medical treatment. After a friendship formed, Ashley invited Locke to join him in London as his personal physician. Locke agreed and left for London in 1667, where he lived for the next eight years. This was the beginning of Locke’s deep political interests, which was...
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...“John Locke vs. Thomas Jefferson” John Locke's Second Treatise of Government and Thomas Jefferson's Declaration of Independence are two of the most significant texts of all time. Many countries around the world have used these texts as the foundation for their declaration of independence. These authors laid the base for the knowledge of the State of Natural Rights of human being which is the establishing bases of our government. We can understand that The Second Treatise of Government and the Declaration of Independence are very identical in their message, which clearly substantiate Locke's work influenced Jefferson. Unpredictably as it is, Jefferson has been suspect over the times for plagiarizing John Locke. The most significant similarity between both writings is that they are strongly focused on the belief that all men are created equal and have the right to be happy in their life. Locke enlightens us that humans have natural rights of life, liberty, and pursuit of property. Jefferson restates this claim as absolute rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Simply both documents mention that no person is above or superior to another person and that everyone is equal. The natural law of man is not under the authority of man, but ruled by the Natural Laws. Also they state that those natural rights...
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...John Locke looked at the world to gain knowledge and wrote books to show the empiricism in philosophy. John Locke wrote many books and essays to show his beliefs and views. John Locke’s A letter Concerning Toleration with the concerning the true extant and end of civil government was written in 1689 in Gouda, Holland. His beliefs and views shaped the world as it is today. John Locke start off his essay with writing about political power. He states, “Political power, then, I take to be a right of making laws, with penalties of death, and consequently all less penalties for the regulating and preserving of property,” John Locke defines political power as the right to make certain laws to protect and regulate property. These laws are put...
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...The Right to Rights Rights are a concept that we believe to transcend laws. The sovereign cannot abridge rights, nor can fellow citizens abuse their freedom to trespass on each other’s. Rights are useful for the marginalized because it protects them from being shut up or neglected. What is more, when rights become so ingrained into society that we cannot live without having preconceived notions of natural rights, they become even more powerful. Rights matter because, without them, we would be at the mercy of the sovereign or the mob. One of the first concepts of rights was conceived (or at least published) by John Locke. His theory of natural rights was one that many still subscribe to today. The most pressing issue for John Locke at the time was the right to property and the right to possess the fruits of one’s labour. While John Locke was right that there were quite a few persons who agreed with his natural rights argument, even the so-called “savages” in the New World at the time did not have a concept of induvial labour or...
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...Haitian revolutions. John was a philosopher. (someone who thinks a lot about how people think). John Locke has influenced many other leaders too such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and Benjamin Franklin. John got his power by being a philosopher. He got a very good education because of his dad having connections to the government. And that is what got him where he was at the time. The way that he used his power was maybe the most central idea in Locke's political way of thinking...
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...| John Locke | The father of modern liberalism | | Cole Davis | 5/20/2012 | | Liberalism, a political ideology based on the belief that constant progress is achievable, the human race is composed of intrinsically good beings, and that these intrinsically good beings are and should be autonomous in nature, is an idea that made an incredible resurgence during the English enlightenment. As the belief of Liberalism gained popularity with the public it also developed an enormous following among European philosophers. John Locke, the individual responsible for the idea of natural rights as well as the social compact, helped mold this idea of Liberalism into its own unique philosophical tradition. Because of these great contributions, John Locke is considered as father of modern liberalism. Born August 29, 1632 at Wrington in Somerset, John Locke was the son of a lawyer and the oldest child of his Puritan household (Locke, Berkeley, Hume). While Locke was a child, his father closely monitored and guided his education. An incredibly educated individual, Locke first received a formal education at Westminster School eventually graduating to Christ Church, Oxford (Collinson). After receiving his bachelors of arts in 1656, Locke stayed at Oxford to earn his master’s degree. Locke became the censor of moral philosophy in 1664 and in 1675 when the Earl of Shaftesbury fell from power; Locke exiled himself to France to restore his health (Locke, Berkeley, Hume). After four...
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...The Social Contract Theory of John Locke Paper University of phoenix Finance and Budgeting in Justice and Security AJS/532 Matthew O’Deane November 20, 2013 The Social Contract Theory of John Locke Paper My paper evaluates the Social Contract Theory of John Locke, and how his principles are even within the criminal justice system, and private security situations nowadays. This paper shall also in great detail debate whether or not Locke’s’ values and beliefs pertain to criminal justice as well as private security venues. A summary will be presented to identify key dissimilarities of the social contract theories, recognize key any principles connected with Locke’s social contract theory, label how these codes are instilled within the United States Bill of Rights, recognize how these principles show within the criminal justice system and security organizations of present, and lastly define independence in regards to personal rights and proper principles, and commitments. “A social contract is a voluntary agreement in which mutual benefit occurs between and for individuals, groups, government or a community as a whole. According to Locke, the State of Nature, the natural condition of mankind, is a state of perfect and complete liberty to conduct one's life as one best sees fit, free from the interference of others (Kelly, Martin. (2012)).” This doesn’t mean that it is a state of authorization: a citizen isn’t...
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...Yaw Ankobiah Essay Assignment 4/17/15 POLS 251 Professor Clarke Word Count: 1,597 The Ideals of Commerce of Aristotle vs. John Locke Aristotle and John Locke are two of the more prominent philosophers of their respective time periods when historically analyzing political philosophy. Each philosopher has many written sources of their beliefs and ideals, many of which go against the ‘norms’ of the societies of their time period. Second Treatise of Government, by John Locke, and Aristotle’s Politics, written by Aristotle, both outline each philosopher’s ideal political regime in which each political system described is tailored to each individual’s self-thinking. Past experiences as well as prior knowledge is used by both Aristotle and Locke to formulate their political regimes. When comparing the two previously mentioned books and analyzing the regimes proposed by both novels it is evident that both Aristotle and Locke differed in their respective evaluation of commercial or economic life. The biggest point of difference between the two had to do with humanity as Aristotle believed acquisition of necessities to be a natural process whereas Locke believed the onus was on human beings to go out and acquire which would naturally bring about commerce into existence. This essay will examine the reasons why they differed in this aspect of politics with further detail provided as well. When highlighting these reasons it will be very clear as to why their ideas of economic and commercial...
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...How successful were Hobbes and Locke in their attempts to justify the existence of Human Rights? In this essay, the main distinctions of Hobbes and Lock’s work will be discussed and how their work contributed to the existence of human rights. Other predominant thinkers, such as Bentham and Marx will be brought in to critically evaluate Hobbes and Lock’s attempts on human rights. Finally a conclusion will be drawn upon these points to state whether Hobbes or Locke was Successful to justify the existence of human rights or whether there were any flaws in their thinking. “Human rights are the rights that everyone has, and everyone equally, by virtue of their very humanity. They are grounded in an appeal to our human nature.” (R.T Vincent, human rights and international relations, page 13). Human rights are a concept that has been constantly evolving throughout human history. They had been intricately tied to the laws, customs and religions throughout the ages. One of the first examples of a codification of laws that contain references to individual rights is the tablet of Hammurabi, which was created 4000 years ago, it is considered barbaric by today's standards, the system of 282 laws created a model for the legal system. This kind of model and legally binding document protects the people from arbitrary persecution and punishment. The...
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