UNDERSTANDING JOHN LOCKE

The Smart Student's Guide to Locke's Second Treatise of Government

By: Laurence Houlgate

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

Length: 4 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's summary

Understanding John Locke is the second book in a series of books on the classical philosophers. Other books in the Smart Student's Guide series are: Understanding Plato: The Socratic Dialogues and the Republic; and Understanding John Stuart Mill: Utilitarianism and On Liberty. The series is designed for beginning and intermediate philosophy students who would like more depth than they would ordinarily get from books that only give outlines of the philosopher's thoughts and theories. At the same time, the books do not delve so deeply and critically into the philosopher's ideas that they would only be accessible to graduate students and professors. Each book focuses on both content and philosophical method. Each chapter breaks down the arguments of the philosopher into understandable parts, showing how the philosopher reaches his conclusions and how he defends against possible objections. Each chapter concludes with a set of questions for thought and discussion. Some of the questions are on topics that provide an excellent starting point for term papers. References to other books about the philosopher or the topic can be found at the end of the chapter, in footnotes, textboxes or at the end of the book. John Locke is the intellectual father of two revolutions: the Whig revolt against absolute monarchy in 17th century England and almost 100 years later, the revolt of the American colonies against British rule, culminating in the founding of the United States of America. Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine, George Mason and James Madison all ranked John Locke as one of the most influential thinkers they consulted during the American revolution and the formation of the liberal constitutional state that emerged from it. The primary vehicle of this influence was John Locke's Second Treatise of Government. In Understanding John Locke, Laurence Houlgate takes the student along with him in a clear account and exploration of Locke's main theories about the nature and origin of political power, the state of nature, the state of war, the law of nature, the social contract, the origin of private property, the distinction between political, paternal and despotical power, the legitimate placing of political power, the separation of legislative and executive power, and the conditions for justifiable revolution. The book concludes with a postscript comparing and contrasting some of the political theories of Locke and his ancient Greek predecessor Plato.