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John Locke Biography

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John Locke is considered one of the most important philosophers and political theorists. He is known as the “Father of Liberalism” and was one of the first British empiricists. His work on the theory of the state, the theory of knowledge, religious toleration, and medicine has secured him a place in the pantheon of revered intellectuals.
Locke was born on August 29, 1632 in Wrington, Somerset, England, to John Locke, a country lawyer and clerk, and Agnes Keene. Both of his parents were Puritans. He lived in a small market town in his youth and was sent to the prestigious Westminster School in 1647. Following his time there, he entered Christ Church, Oxford. The curriculum at Oxford was extremely traditional; the students studied logic, metaphysics, and the classical languages. Locke, along with other young men who would eventually form the English Royal Society, preferred to leave Aristotle behind in favor of contemporary philosophers. Locke received his B.A. in 1656 and his M.A. two years later, and instead of following the seemingly logical path and become a clergyman, Locke decided to enter medicine. Locke read and studied with the eminent physicians Robert …show more content…

No concrete evidence suggests Locke had any part to play, but he was in exile nonetheless. It was in exile that he completed (but did not yet publish) his Letter Concerning Toleration and worked to finish the Essay. In Holland, he associated with the English revolutionaries also in exile. In 1688, the Glorious Revolution occurred: William III of Orange invaded from Normandy and King James II (who was crowned three years earlier) fled, allowing William and his wife to rule the kingdom jointly. It was now safe for Locke to return from exile, which he did by accompanying William’s wife Mary on the royal yacht back to

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