British Philosopher:

John Locke

Main Life Accomplishments:

The English philosopher and political theorist (a person who forms an explanation based upon studying and observing politics and politicians) John Locke began the empiricist tradition (the source of knowledge comes from experience and the senses) and thus started the greatest age of British philosophy (the study of knowledge). He attempted to center philosophy based on the study of importance and capabilities of the human mind.

 

Basics:

Born: August 29, 1632 Wrington, Somerset, England

Died:  October 28, 1704 (aged 72) Essex, England

Nationality: England

Fields:  Philosophy

Main Accomplishments:   An essay concerning human understanding.

 

Chronology of Life Events:

1632  29 August

Locke is born.

1642

The English Civil War begins

1646?

Locke is admitted to Westminster School

1649 January 30

King Charles I is executed, the House of Lords abolished; England is declared a Commonwealth

1652

Locke goes to Christ Church College, Oxford. From this time until 1667 Oxford was Locke's usual place of residence.

1656

Locke graduates B.A.

1658

Locke graduates M.A.

1660

Locke meets Robert Boyle, the chemist, who was to be his friend and correspondent for thirty years. Locke writes his first treatise on the Civil Magistrate.

1660

Charles II returns to England and is restored to the throne.

1661

Locke's father dies.

1664

Locke is "Censor of Moral Philosophy" at Christ Church. He writes the Essays on the Law of Nature

1665 November-February 1666

Locke visits Cleves as part of a diplomatic mission accompanying Sir Henry Vane to the Elector of Brandenburg.

1665

Locke reads Descartes and finds in him the first viable alternative to Scholasticism he had encountered.

1666

Locke meets Anthony Ashley Cooper (later the first earl of Shaftsbury). Locke is granted a dispensation to keep his studentship without taking holy orders.

1667

Locke began collaborating with Thomas Sydenham in medical research.

1667

Locke joins Ashly's household in London as Lord Ashley's personal physician. From this time until 1675 Locke resided usually in London. He writes an Essay concerning Toleration

1668

Locke supervises an operation to remove a cyst from Lord Ashley's liver. Astonishingly, the operation is successful and the patient lives another 15 years! Locke is elected a Fellow of the Royal Society.

1670

Locke (under the supervision of Shaftsbury) writes the Fundamental Constitution of Carolina

1671

Locke writes the first draft of the Essay Concerning Human Understanding From this year until 1675 Locke appears to have been the secretary to the Lords Proprietors of Carolina

1671

Locke, along with Lord Shaftsbury and many others, buys shares in the Royal Africa Company - the company chartered by the crown to carry out the slave trade for Great Britain; he sells the shares at a profit in 1675

1672 October-November

Locke visits Paris

1675

Locke graduates M.B. On 12 November he goes to France and remains there until 1678

1678

Titus Oates charges that there was a Popish plot to kill King Charles II and put his Catholic brother James on the throne.

1679

Shaftsbury becomes Lord President of the King's Council. Locke returns to England. A bill to exclude the Catholic Duke of York from the Throne is passed by the House of Commons but fails in the House of Lords 15 October Parliament prorogued and Shaftsbury dismissed from office.

1681

Lord Shaftsbury tried for treason but acquitted.

1682

Locke meets Damaris Cudworth, daughter of Ralph Cudworth (a Cambridge Platonist).

1682 November 28

Shaftsbury flees to Holland where he dies on 21 January 1683

1683 September

The Rye House Plot to kill Charles II exposed; Locke flees to Holland; Essex, Russell and Algernon Sydney (leaders of the Whig party) arrested.

1684

Locke expelled from his studentship at Christ Church College, Oxford, by Royal command.

1685

Charles II dies; the Catholic Duke of York ascends the throne as James II.

1685

Lord Monmouth's (one of Charles II's illegitimate sons) rebellion. Monmouth invades England from Holland, Argyle raises a rebellion in Scotland. Both are suppressed.

1688

The Bibliotheque Universelle publishes a fifty page abstract of Locke's Essay Concerning Human Understanding

1688

William of Orange invades England and accomplishes the "Glorious Revolution of 1688." James II flees to France.

1689 February

Locke returns to England escorting the princess of Orange, who later became Queen Mary. He meets Sir Isaac Newton and they become friends.

1689

The Epistolia de Tolerentia was published, and translated by William Popple as A Letter Concerning Toleration.

1689 December

The Essay Concerning Human Understanding is published.

1690

The Two Treatises of Civil Government are published.

1690

Jonas Proast publishes The Argument of the 'Letter of Toleration' Briefly Considered and Answered

1691

Locke makes Oates, the residence of Sir Francis and Lady Masham, his permanent home.

1693

Some Thoughts Concerning Education published.

1694

The second edition of the Essay Concerning Human Understanding published.

1695

The Reasonableness of Christianity published anonymously.

1695

Locke answered criticisms of the Reasonableness in A Vindication of the Reasonableness of Christianity.

1696

A Board of Trade established and Locke appointed to it. The Board had a variety of duties including overseeing colonial governments. Though ill of health, Locke remained on the Board until 1700. He was its most influential member.

1697

A second Vindication of the Reasonableness of Christianity.

1697-99

Locke engaged in an extensive controversy with Edward Stillingfleet, Bishop of Worcester.

 

1700

Locke remained at Oates until his death in 1704.
 

Early Life:

John Locke was born on August 29, 1632 and lived through one of the most tumultuous periods of English history. Locke was a child and teenager during the English Civil War, in which Parliamentary forces battled King Charles I over matters of taxation, political power, and the true religion.

 

John Locke was a young man in his late twenties when the Puritan leader Oliver Cromwell died in 1658 and the Anglican Charles II was restored to the throne in 1660. After his studies, Locke went on to be a professor of philosophy at Oxford from 1661 to 1664.

In 1667 Locke became the physician, adviser, and friend of the English statesman Anthony Ashley Cooper, the First Earl of Shaftesbury. Through Shaftesbury, Locke held a number of minor government posts and was embroiled in the continuing political and religious turmoil.

In 1669, Locke had the opportunity to write the constitution for the proprietors of the Carolina Colony in North America. Though the plan was never implemented, Locke's political philosophy would latter become the intellectual blueprint for the American Revolution and the U.S. Constitution.

In 1675 his protector, Shaftesbury had fallen from favor, so Locke spent four years in France where he sought out French philosophers and scientists. After a few years back in England, Locke fled again In 1683 to live in political exile in Holland, because of his opposition to the Roman Catholic King James II. Locke returned to England in 1689 after the Glorrious Revolution in which the Catholic James II was replaced by the Anglican William of Orange and his wife Mary II, who was herself the older daughter of James.

The years in exile in his fifties provided the occasion for Locke to write his books. In 1689, his Letter on Toleration was published in Latin and English. In 1690, both Locke's Essay Concerning Human Understanding and Two Treatises of Government were published.

Locke read the works of Descartes and Newton. He was a close friend of the chemist Robert Boyle. Locke was also influenced by Thomas Hobbes and Robert Hooker, whom he quotes several times in the Second Treatise.

Locke held a number of government posts, but lived mostly in the country after his return to England. From 1696 to 1700 he was commissioner with the Board of Trade and Plantations. He died in 1704.

Locke is recognized not only as an important political philosopher but also as the founder of empiricism, which eschews intuitive speculation and sees sensation and experience as the root of all knowing.
 

Father Background:

Locke's father was a small landowner and attorney in western England  The father fought with the Parliament and had Puritan religious views. Locke's family was well-enough off to send him to Oxford University, where he was "ever prating and troublesome and paid little attention to his lecturers.

 

Mother Background:

Agnes Keene, baptised 24th April 1597 daughter of Edmund Keene, married John Locke in All Saints' on 15th July 1630.

Edmund Keene was a tanner, and in his will referred to "a marriage shortly to be solemnised between my daughter Agnes Keene and John Locke, son of Nicholas Locke of Pensford".

 

John Locke's mother died while he was still in infancy.

 
 
SuperAttainer

ANALYSIS SECTION:

 
 
1. Early Success
 

When did the SuperAttainer first display ability that was greatly above average and what were his accomplishments? 
 

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2. Contrarian

 
What actions did the SuperAttainer take that demonstrated a mindset that was very different from those around him?
 

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3. Conceited
 
What are the actions and documented statements that exhibit an elevated sense of self importance of the SuperAttainer? 
 
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4. Hard-Knocked 
 
During what events did the SuperAttainer experience personal misery and severe anxiety?
  

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5. Loner
 
Is there evidence of the SuperAttainer being comfortable spending time apart from others? 
 

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6. Mentored & Motivated
 
Who was vital to developing the SuperAttainer and guiding his career and what significant actions were taken?
 

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7. Discontent
 
What evidence is there that the SuperAttainer was unsatisfied with even great personal accomplishment?
 

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8. Promoted
 
What actions or events were responsible for publicizing the tremendous achievements and abilities of the SuperAttainer?
 

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Overall Score:

x out of 8 = xx% 

PASS

SuperAttainer Type:

Describe the factors in the SuperAttainer’s background to indicate whether he is a Come-From-Nothing or Aristocratic type..

Conclusion:

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