John Locke

Two Treatises of Government (1632-1704 England)

“Intellectual ancestor of liberal democratic ideal…”

America’s philosopher: His views inform our founding

-views on life, liberty, pursuit of happiness (aka freedom)

-consent of the governed

-right of resistance

-”natural” inalienable rights

Human Nature

*Enlightment

-science \

-empiricism /

Rational (only few are irrational)

Moral:Good appetites

Peace=cooperative

ethical

Social + Trustworthy

Common goals

Tabula Rasa

=blank state education! Positive

Our minds do not come into the world knowing anything

State of Nature

Freedom

equal

Moral State: respect each other recognize property

*State of liberty

NOT license=to harm another

uncertainty prompts is to est. secure gov’t Gov’t is the remedy for inconveniences of state of nature

Consent

Can’t be subject to another’s power w/o consent

Despot

when gov’t goes beyond it legitimate limits

-goes against common good

-unlawful force

Right to revolution

|_change gov’t

1. Elections (Peaceful)

2. By force: collective right of revolution