Abstract
This paper looks at this philosophy whereby Locke's perception of mankind was an extremely optimistic one, and he viewed natural law and the state of nature as being where all men are naturally moral and reasonable, and are born free, equal and possessing the inalienable rights to protect their life, their freedom, and their property.

From the Paper
""Nature is a state of perfect equality amongst all men. In this state, no one man has more power or jurisdiction than any other man." (Locke 1690)
John Locke (1632 - 1704) was a qualified physician and a respected Oxford academic, in addition to being one of several political philosophers who focused on the theories of natural rights and natural law during the pre-Enlightenment era of the seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. Locke's theory of natural law, and of the aims and purposes of government, were detailed in his work, "Two Treatises of Government" (1690), and proved to be influential, not only in Britain, but across the world, especially in America, where his views formed the foundation of the Declaration of Independence and the American system of government."

Tags:nature, natural, law, philosophy, enlightenment, knowledge, freedom, independence

Abstract
This paper compares and contrasts the political beliefs of the two philosophers and theorists Thomas Hobbes and John Locke. It looks at how Hobbes' political theory is illustrated in the Leviathan which discusses the matter, form and power of a commonwealth. Hobbes was a social contract theorist who believed that a commonwealth was "but an artificial man." It shows how Locke was also a social contract theorist who believed that the purpose of government was to protect the lives of subjects.

Outline
Hobbes
Locke
The Most Fundamental Differences
Weaknesses and Strengths

From the Paper
"Though both of these philosophers are social contract theorist there are some small differences in their ideals. Hobbes believed that once subjects gave consent to be governed they must abide by the laws set forth by that sovereign. He believed that subjects should be certain that the sovereign is going to do everything in his power to preserve their lives before they transfer their rights and wills to him. Once the rights and wills of the subjects are transferred the sovereign becomes the voice of the commonwealth and his authority must be respected--the sovereign was the supreme power."

Tags:social, contract, theory, government, freedom

Abstract
The emphasis of this paper will be on Marx's position on property and labor, illustrating the similarities to the thoughts of his predecessor John Locke, known as the father of modern socialism in England. But while showing that the two theories have a great deal in common descriptively and analytically, there is also a great deal that separates them; such as their perspectives on private property.

Tags:marx, locke, labor

Abstract
. Locke believed in private property rights and the state's obligation to protect them. Within this context, he extolled individual rights and the concept of the citizen's sovereignty. In his perspective, the state served the citizens and had to guarantee life, liberty and property. Marx, meanwhile, saw society through the lens of the "class struggle". He believed that the liberation of citizens would only come through the abolition of private property and, eventually, of the state itself.

Abstract
This paper explains that the nature-nurture controversy is the continuing debate over whether the individual's various traits and characteristics are influenced more by inborn factors, or nature, or by cultural influences and other aspects of experience, or nurture. The author points out that, today, scientists view human development as a combination of nature and nurture, while the British philosopher, John Locke, in the 1690s, suggested that the human infant is like a blank slate, or "tabula rasa", on which experience in the form of human learning writes messages on the infant's unformed mind. The paper relates that Sigmund Freud's theory of development states that human development is the product of both internal urges and external conditions, particularly children's sexual and aggressive urges, and how parents handle them.

From the Paper
"Many professions have solicited the assistance of psychologists in trying to predetermine the psyche of potential persons for areas such as employment and placement. The legal profession has sought out psychologists on both sides to prove their theories of the mental abilities, behavior explanations or predictions of behavior of a defendant or plaintiff. "Society has let the pendulum swing wildly back from nurture to nature, leaving behind a number of bewildered social scientist. Yet we still love to phrase everything in terms of one influence or the other, rather than both." In the educational profession, understanding the balance or affect of both nature and nurture is essential to designing an effective plan for each pupil's advancement."

Tags:Piaget, freud, locke, erickson, watson

Abstract
In Locke's "Second Treatise of Government", his main concern is with the protection of private property. The paper examines Locke's arguments for a "positive" and a "negative" state of nature and his theories on how property can be protected from the government.

From the Paper
"To understand Locke's theory of legitimate government one must look at his theory of men in the state of nature. However in Second Treatise of Government there are inconsistencies and ambiguities as to the description of a state of nature. At first he describes men in a "good" state of nature: "a state of perfect freedom to order their actions, and dispose of their possessions and persons as they think fit, within the bounds of the law of Nature, without asking leave or depending upon the will of any other man" (ch. 11, sec.4) They are also in a state of equality in nature; no man has more power than another does. The law of nature teaches mankind that, all being equal and independent; no one ought to harm another in his life, liberty, and possessions."

Tags:authority, contract

Abstract
This essay deals with John Locke's views and promotion of empiricism. The essay proves that Locke's theory of empiricism is still relevant in today's society. The main points of the essay deal with Locke's rejection of innate ideas, the fact that all ideas are a result of reflection or sensation, and that observations are either simple or complex.

From the Paper
"The idea that humans are born with prior knowledge is known as innate ideas. Innatists such as Plato believe that mental contents exist in the mind prior to any past experience. Locke highly disagrees with this concept and rejects every aspect of an idea being innate. Locke believes that since children and mentally disabled people cannot rationalize or think abstract thoughts like a mature person, ideas cannot be innate. Locke states "tis evident that all children and idiots, have not the least apprehension or thought of them: and the want of that is enough to destroy that universal assent, which must needs be the necessary concomitant of all innate truths" (Locke, 60). Locke believes that since children and those who are mentally disabled cannot think as complexly as grown adults, it is because they have to gain knowledge through life experiences, therefore, ideas cannot be innate. Locke also suggests that ideas cannot be innate because he strongly believes in, and promotes the theory of empiricism. Locke believes "the mind to be, as we say, white paper, void of all characters, without any ideas" (Locke, 109). Locke holds that we come into the world with a clear mind ready to learn. If innate ideas were true then children would have the same knowledge as an adult has, though it is clear that children do not. Today, Locke's rejection of innate ideas and promotion of empiricism is an acceptable explanation for the way humans think. Humanity accepts Locke's explanation because it is very relevant and cannot be disproved."

Tags:philosophy, plato, mentally, disabled

Abstract
This paper examines the philosopher John Locke's Locke's theory of empiricism, that everything learned through previous experience, is accurate and relevant in today's society. In particular it shows how although Locke's proposal of empiricism is over 300 years old, all aspects are still applicable and how Locke's rejection of innate ideas, his suggestion that all ideas are a result of reflection and sensation and that observations are either simple or complex, are precise and cannot be disproved in today's society.

From the Paper
"Individuals often wonder why humans are able to think abstract thoughts and why animals are incapable of this. Locke proposed that in order for a thought to occur, the two foundations of knowledge must be present. These foundations are: observations of sensation and observations of reflection. External observation such as loud, red and cold are observations of sensation; they come to us through our senses. Internal observations such as thinking, remembering, and perceiving are observations of reflection. Locke states "the senses at first let in particular ideas, and furnish the yet empty cabinet: and the mind by degrees growing familiar with some of them, they are logged in the memory, and names go to them" (Locke, 65). "

Tags:epistomology, innate, observations, knowledge, sensation

Abstract
The objective of this essay is to analyze the relationship between freedom and the state as perceived and argued by various thinkers. The author looks at the views of such political theorists as Niccolo Machiavelli, Marsilius, John Stuart Mill, John Locke, Rousseau, Thomas Paine and more.

From the Paper
"Mill was against the natural rights theory. He maintained the position that what actually make liberty valuable is that both men and women in the society must possess equal rights. He believed that liberty is an important factor to both self-development and to human progression. As a crusader of equal right for men and women, Mill argued that even if women were inferior to men as proposed by some thinkers, this should not be a reason for maintaining systems of social and political subordination that prevent them from developing their characters and contributing to what Mill termed as moral regeneration of humanity. His argument of individual liberty is the one where the state has the capacity to use its power to ensure that people do not interfere with or cause any harm to social interests through their actions or by not fulfilling their civic responsibilities to the state."

Tags:mill, machiavelli, john, stuart, hegel, thomas, paine, locke, rousseau, marcilius, marx, karl, republic, prince, equality, godwin, green, government, society, nature, power

Abstract
The paper begins by exploring John Locke's biography as means of providing a better understanding of why he developed the philosophies that he did. It continues by presenting his philosophies, views on government, obligation of revolution, state of nature, and man's reason for establishing government. Lastly, the paper discusses the influence of John Locke's philosophy on modern North America. Specific examples are drawn out from Canadian and American constitutional documents to show the impact that John Locke has had on North America.

From the Paper
"As long as people have been able to think and reason, all sorts of different ideas, philosophies, theories and arguments have circulated in society. Some have been good and many have been bad and useless. The good ones have remained known and respected in societies throughout generations and have unsurprisingly impacted the way people live and think. The theories of one particular philosopher by the name of John Locke have had an everlasting impact on modern day North American politics and government. This will be proven through the analysis of John Locke's biography, his political theories, and the influence of his philosophy on the nature of the rule of government in the U.S and Canada."

Tags:bill, canada, charter, declaration, democracy, freedom, freedoms, government, independance, john, law, locke, lockean, philosophy, politics, rights, rule, states, united