# John Locke

## Biography

John Locke, born in Wrington, Somerset, England, in 1632, was an influential English philosopher and physician. Widely considered a foundational figure of the Enlightenment, he is often called the "father of liberalism" due to his profound impact on political philosophy. Locke's ideas significantly shaped modern concepts of government, natural rights, and individual liberties, influencing the American Revolutionaries and thinkers like Voltaire and Rousseau.

He studied at Westminster School and Christ Church, Oxford, where he engaged with medicine and philosophy, though he found the traditional curriculum unstimulating. His most famous works include An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, which argued for empiricism and the concept of the mind as a "tabula rasa," and Two Treatises of Government, advocating for governance based on the consent of the governed and the right to revolution against tyranny. Locke's writings on religious toleration also promoted the separation of church and state. He spent several years in political exile in the Dutch Republic before returning to England after the Glorious Revolution, continuing his prolific work until his death in 1704.

## Books

- [An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding, Volume 1: MDCXC, Based on the 2nd Edition, Books 1 and 2](https://samolit.com/books/96468)
- [Second Treatise of Government](https://samolit.com/books/95845)