Locke and Rousseau were two great philosophers of the Enlightenment. ... Rousseau and Locke begin their work on political theory with a discussion on the state of nature. ... According to Locke this Law of Reason restrains men from infringing on the rights of others. ... Rousseau would argue that reason is an evil itself and therefore Locke's State of Nature is flawed. As with Rousseau before, we must question how Locke's State of Nature becomes today's society. ...

• Word Count: 2158
• Approx Pages: 9
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

The modern understanding of this ancient theory of tabula rasa can be largely attributed to English philosopher and scholar, John Locke, who wrote on the subject in his work An Essay Concerning Human Understanding published in 1690. ... Also connected to the idea of tabula rasa, is the theory of empiricism, the foundations of which "are found in the works of John Locke, George Berkeley, and David Hume" (Caldwell 577). Locke explores the aspects of human knowledge in his Essay, and concludes that "knowledge is restricted to ideas generated by objects that one experiences through ...

• Word Count: 1520
• Approx Pages: 6
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Philosopher John Locke suggested that humanity is neither good nor bad but a 'tabula rasa' - something we write on based on our experiences. ... This reinforces John Locke's view that humans are shaped by experience, rather than being innately destined to misery, and Jean Jacques Rousseau's belief that 'man' is constructed by those around him. ...

• Word Count: 1673
• Approx Pages: 7
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

As early as the late seventeenth century, philosopher John Locke's theory of tabula rasa, "blank slate, "stated that "the human mind receives knowledge and forms itself based on experience alone, without any pre-existing innate ideas that would serve as a starting point" " (Tabula rasa "). Essentially Locke believes that genetics play no role in the development of personality or character. ... His admittance to Victor that upon waking, "no distinct ideas occupied my mind " (Shelley 91), is Shelley's way of showing that at birth the creature was, as Locke suggests, a blank slate. ...

• Word Count: 1453
• Approx Pages: 6
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate