Justin fox(#12) instalment 1

John Locke(1632-1704)

Although famous for many things, his political philosophy is what has gained the most recognition. It is debated whether  natural law or natural rights, both of which existed before Locke, influenced his thinking. Natural law emphasized duties, usually focusing on morals, whereas natural rights focused on liberties that an individual was entitled to.

 Natural rights are based upon the ideas that: men and women are solitary and independent by nature, that a person’s duty is to only themselves and that they have the right to defend themselves. The problem with this is that it leads to a “war of all against all.” Are we not all equal in our natural right to attempt to obtain what is best for ourselves? Locke believed that all men were equal, which is reinforced by his belief in the idea of a social contract, you wouldn’t need to enter into a contract unless both parties were considered of equal status. A social contract is a an agreement between people to create a society that is mutually beneficial. One example of a social contract is the government, we give the government money(in the form of taxes) and in return we get protection(from domestic and foreign dangers), education, etc.

The idea behind natural laws is that there are “moral truths” that everyone is bound by. Locke believed that natural laws could not be understood or reasoned out by simply thinking about them. He also believed that natural laws could exist separate from or coincide with divine law. The problem with this idea is that if morality doesn’t come from a deity, then where does it come or does it even exist.

 Sources

http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/locke-political/#LawNat

http://www.nlnrac.org/earlymodern/locke

http://www.iep.utm.edu/soc-cont/