John Locke 1632 – 1704
John Locke was an English philosopher and physician, regarded as one of the most influential of Enlightenment thinkers. In the Essay Concerning Human Understanding he argued that the mind begins as a tabula rasa, with all knowledge derived from experience. His Two Treatises of Government grounded political authority in natural rights and the consent of the governed, shaping modern liberal democracy. He contributed significantly to theories of personal identity, religious toleration, and education. His ideas influenced the American Declaration of Independence and the framers of the United States Constitution.
Key facts
- Nationality
- English
- Era
- Modern
- Movements
- Empiricism, Enlightenment, Social Contract
Selected quotes
-
Attributed to John Locke:
“No man's knowledge here can go beyond his experience.”
-
Attributed to John Locke:
“All mankind being all equal and independent, no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty, or possessions.”
-
Attributed to John Locke:
“The end of law is not to abolish or restrain, but to preserve and enlarge freedom.”
-
Attributed to John Locke:
“Reading furnishes the mind only with materials of knowledge; it is thinking that makes what we read ours.”
-
Attributed to John Locke:
“Where there is no law, there is no freedom.”