Daniel Defoe will put Enlightenment thought to the test in his novel Robinson Crusoe. To help us explore the book, Rabbi Rocklin will answer the following questions:

1. How does Robinson Crusoe develop a rational response to the question of how man should respond to suffering?
2. Why do Crusoe's labors on his island occupy a central role in the narrative?
3. In what sense can Crusoe's religious experience in the novel be considered Jewish-inspired?

Recommended Reading: Defoe, Daniel. Robinson Crusoe. 1719. Reprint, New York: Modern Library, 2001.

John Locke will take a different approach to society and government than Hobbes, one which will eventually be very important to the United States. As we dive deeper into the topic, we'll address the following questions:

1. How does Locke's perspective on the state of nature inform his divergence from Hobbes in their respective views on sovereignty?
2. How does Locke come to the conclusion that the individual has natural rights?
3. According to Locke, why is absolute monarchy an illegitimate form of government?

Recommended Reading: Locke, John. Second Treatise of Government. 1689.

Thomas Hobbes will redefine the way we understand both government and society. Today, Rabbi Rocklin will help us answer the following questions:

1. Why did Hobbes dispense with the Medieval notion of customary rights?
2. According to Hobbes, why is the role of the sovereign to ensure the security of the people?
3. In was sense did Hobbes break from the ancient understanding that government was natural and dedicated to the flourishing of man?

Recommended Reading: Hobbes, Thomas. Leviathan. 1651.