2.4 John Locke

Published in 1689, 'Two Treatises of Government' is a seminal work by John Locke that critiques the divine right of kings and advocates for a government based on the consent of the governed. The first treatise refutes Robert Filmer's 'Patriarcha,' which argued for the divine right of kings, while the second treatise outlines Locke's theory of civil society, the state of nature, natural rights, and the social contract. Locke argues that legitimate governments derive their power from the consent of the people and that individuals have the right to rebellion if the government fails to protect their natural rights to life, liberty, and property. His ideas significantly influenced the American and French Revolutions and remain central to liberal political theory.

Published in 1689, 'An Essay Concerning Human Understanding' is a comprehensive work that challenges the notion of innate knowledge. Locke argues that all knowledge is derived from experience and reflection, and he divides experience into two categories: sensation (information from the external world) and reflection (the mind's operations on those sensations). The essay is structured into four books, addressing topics such as the rejection of innate ideas, the theory of ideas, the role of language, personal identity, and the limits and nature of human knowledge. Locke's work had a significant influence on modern Western philosophy and continues to be a cornerstone in discussions of epistemology and the philosophy of mind.