A Summary Of John Locke And Jean-Jacques Rousseau

The Enlightenment period questioned traditional methods of educating children and introduced revolutionary new ways of thinking to bring about improvements in education and to actual allow students to enjoy learning. Before the Enlightenment, children were treated like small adults with no thought given to the development of very young children and once they were old enough to receive education it consisted of forced memory work along with harsh discipline (Platz Arellano, 2011). The Enlightenment changed this way of thinking by questioning â€Å"what we are like naturally like (human nature), vs how we are influence by society† (Norris, 2017, slide 25). It brought about the â€Å"belief in the possibility of improvement of all of humanity†¦show more content†¦When Locke left London to live in France and Holland because of health issues, he wrote letters to Edward and Mary Clark telling them his thoughts on how they should educate their son. These letters were later published in 1632 as Some Thoughts Concerning Education (Murphy, 2006 ). Locke’s Some Thoughts Concerning Education criticizes the teaching methods of that time and suggests improvements but it also covers a wide range of other topics like how children should be dress, what they should eat, the importance of regularly going to the bathroom, and the need for physical activity, all of which goes towards making a â€Å"sound mind in a sound body† (Locke, 1692, sec.1). Locke (1692) states the importance of education when he writes, â€Å"that of all the men we meet with, nine parts of ten are what they are, good or evil, useful or not, by their education† (sec. 1). Although Locke’s treatise on education was written for â€Å"boys of the gentlemen class† (Shouse, 1931. p. 25), it was implied that he was writing for the education of all children, including girls. Locke’s educational theory emphasized nurture over nature because as Henson (2003) states, â€Å"he introduced the idea of tabula rasa or blank slate, p roposing that at birth the mind is a blank slate the only way to fill it is through having experiences, feeling these experiences, and reflecting on them† (p.7). Locke believed in finding a virtuous tutor when children were young to lead them by goodShow MoreRelatedThe Influence Of The American Revolution And The Enlightenment799 Words   |  4 Pagesrebelling. John Locke was perhaps the most prominent contributor to the colonists’ mindset. Upon reading the Declaration of Independence, it is clear that Jefferson was an avid reader of Locke. In the first draft of this document, Jefferson promotes Locke’s notion that people have certain inalienable rights--life, liberty, and property, and that government has an obligation to its people to protect those rights. If the government ceased to protect those rights, then it should be overthrown. Locke was theRead MoreA Statement Of The State Of Nature2003 Words   |  9 Pagesamong them in the absence of a government al entity. A further reason it is important is because human nature is still relevant today among political interactions. The most rival views that contest Hobbes view of human nature come from Jean-Jacques Rousseau and John Locke. I will attempt to address each of their views of human nature determine which argument for human nature has more merit. Thus, I will argue that Hobbes argument for the state of nature being a state of war is insufficient and cannotRead More On the Virtues of Private Property in Locke and Rousseau Essay2221 Words   |  9 PagesOn the Virtues of Private Property in Locke and Rousseau John Locke and Jean Jacques Rousseau, following their predecessor Thomas Hobbes, both attempt to explain the development and dissolution of society and government. 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John Locke, another English philosopher published the Essay Concerning Human Understanding, which expounded on the work of Hobbes by proposing a more integrated and ordered society. The societal implications meant a surrender of some individual freedoms in return for a governmental structure tasked with the responsibility of protections, including the basic rights of life, liberty and property. Locke inferred that external stimuli, such as life experiencesRead MoreEuropean Political Philosophers: John Locke and Jean-Jacues Rousseau1938 Words   |  8 PagesJohn Locke (â€Å"Locke†) and Jean-Jacques Rousseau (â€Å"Rousseau†) are two of the most well known European political philosophers to this day. Locke is a 17th century political philosopher due to him writing his works in the late 1600s. On the other hand Rousseau is an 18th century political philosopher with his writings coming approximately 100 years after Locke’s. While it is known that most philosophers build off the works of their predecessors, there is a vast range between Locke and Rousseau whenRead MoreThe Society ´s View of the Role of Children Essay940 Words   |  4 PagesChristian morality in his children. The changing societal perceptions of children from the 16th to the 18th centuries can be clearly seen in the teachings of European scholars and philosophers. Jean Benedicti, a Franciscan preacher and professor of Theology declares in his 16th century work, A Summary of Sins, that a child must obey the command of the father â€Å"under pain of mortal sin†, except in matters that are against his conscience and the honor of God (Document 7). In one of his essays, FrenchRead More Thomas Jefferson Essay1064 Words   |  5 Pagesmore advanced sciences and math. Beginning in 1760 Jefferson began attending the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. While there he began studying such enlightenment thinkers as Sir Francis Bacon, Sir Isaac Newton, Jean Jacques Rousseau, and John Locke. His admiration for these men became even greater as he began to make his way in life. Once he finished his college education Jefferson decided he wanted to pursue a career in law. To achieve this he began studying for the bar examRead MoreNature vs. Nurture in Language Development1678 Words   |  7 Pageswhich asserts that all knowledge is derived from sense experience. It rejects the notion that the mind is furnished with a range of concepts or ideas prior to experience. Three principal British philosophers who are associated with empiricism are John Locke (1632-1704), George Berkeley (1685-1753), and David Hume (1711-76). in philosophy, a doctrine that affirms that all knowledge is based on experience, and denies the possibility of spontaneous ideas or a priori thought. Empiricism (greek ÃŽ µÃŽ ¼Ãâ‚¬ÃŽ µÃŽ ¹Ã ÃŽ ¹ÃÆ'ÃŽ ¼ÃÅ'Ï‚Read More Societys Struggle Against Its Savage Roots Essay example1914 Words   |  8 Pagessociety that were fed to them unwillingly. They act upon these morals despite their own thoughts and emotions. The latter is the definition of civilization. As it wears away layer after layer in this book, the true savage in mankind is revealed. In summary, the absence of societys physical and social characteristics in the jungle, in Kurtzs mission and on Goldings island contribute to a descent into savagery by characters isolated from the restraints of society. Secondly, intelligence is designed