John Locke

John Locke was an English philosopher and physician, widely regarded as one of the most influential Enlightenment thinkers and commonly known as the 'Father of Liberalism'. His work greatly affected the development of epistemology and political philosophy.

Books

This list of books are ONLY the books that have been ranked on the lists that are aggregated on this site. This is not a comprehensive list of all books by this author.

  1. 1. Two Treatises of Government

    In the Former, The False Principles and Foundation of Sir Robert Filmer, and His Followers, Are Detected and Overthrown. The Latter is an Essay Concerning the True Original, Extent, and End of Civil Government.

    "Two Treatises of Government" is a seminal work in political philosophy, which outlines the author's theories on social contract and natural rights. The first treatise refutes the divine rights of kings, arguing that political power does not come from God but from the people. The second treatise introduces the idea of a government that exists to protect the rights of its citizens, particularly life, liberty, and property. The author posits that if a government fails to protect these rights, the people have the right to overthrow it. This work greatly influenced the development of democratic thought and the structure of modern democratic governments.

    The 1125th Greatest Book of All Time
  2. 2. An Essay Concerning Human Understanding

    In Four Books

    This philosophical work explores the concept of human understanding, proposing that all knowledge is derived from experience. The author argues against innate ideas, suggesting instead that the mind is a blank slate at birth, filled over time through sensory and reflective experiences. The book covers a wide range of topics, including language, memory, identity, and the limits of human knowledge, and is considered a foundational text in empiricism.

    The 1211th Greatest Book of All Time