Term Paper on "John Locke Was the Type of Philosopher"

Term Paper 4 pages (1355 words) Sources: 1 Style: MLA

[EXCERPT] . . . .

John Locke was the type of philosopher that attempted; "to explore the human condition in the light of Christian understanding." (Hollis 2006-page 205) Locke's arguments and essay(s) in the late 1600's were considered to be major in their scope, especially in the philosophical community and the resulting discussions engendered a following that was avid amongst many of the philosophers of that era, as well as the common men, both as members and non-members of the Church at that time.

Locke played a major role (some would say the primary driver behind the vehicle) in the philosophical upheaval of the time, which is why he was considered as one of the fathers of the Enlightenment Era.

This constellation of issues is nowhere more urgently brought to the fore than by Locke's agnosticism concerning the possibility of thinking matter." (Ryan 2006-page 511)

Bayle was also a part of the discussions at the time, and followed the debates with an avid eye. His interest lie in the fact that Locke was presenting an entirely new way of thinking, and many of the so-called experts of the time (including Bishop Stillingfleet) were adamant in their response to Locke's arguments.

Locke invoked the possibility of superaddition in an attempt to secure the existence of an immaterial God, while holding open the possibility that created, finite material substances might be endowed with the power of thought." (Ryan 2006-page 512)

The possibilities raised by Locke were concerned by some to be heresy and even blasphemous in their presentation. Due to this nature, Locke was then, and continues to be, considered as one of the first philosophers of the 'Enlightened Era." His essays and presentations did much to usher in an entirely new way of thinking, and the 'modern thinking of man'.

His second treatise "On Civil Government" was especially revolutionary in its nature. In this writing, Locke is said "to adopt an exceptionally intense form of radicalism, embracing both political resistance and the deposing of the king." (Tarleton 2004-page 247) Deposing of the king was an extreme measure at anytime and was of particular concern to the modern way of thinking.

Locke's principal contribution to philosophy, the one contribution that engendered him as the 'Father of Enlightenment' is likely to be the one that stated his belief that a "historical, plain method" for considering life's experiences in light of knowledge was a method that would "consist of observations derived from external sensations and the internal processes of reflection and introspection." (Langley 1998)

To understand and believe that mankind was able to garner intelligence by contemplating experiences both internally and externally derived, was a revolutionary way of thinking at that time. It was such a unique way of gaining knowledge that Locke's presentations actually "dominated European thought for at least two centuries." (Langley 1998)

Locke went on to take a stance that was very common sense oriented. This approach was very intentional in its nature, but was not a negative type of approach at all. His essay was said to be positive in its nature.

Nonetheless the intention of the Essay was positive in that Locke wished to establish the dependence of all human knowledge upon everyday experience or sensation." (Langley 1998) What made the presentation of such beliefs so revolutionary in their nature was not the negative or positive aspect, but rather that all men can learn through their experiences in life, that all men had the capability to rise from the ashes of despair to the heights of the world, be those men with aristocracy in their blood, or a common man of the street. As a philosopher much of Locke's way of thinking could have been due to the fact that he was educated early on in a variety of different fields, all of which could be seen by most as a lifetime commitment to learning, which is actually quite ironic since he is known as on of society's first modern philosophers. Much of his thinking seems to have been influenced by a number of very effective and influential speakers of the… READ MORE

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