How Did John Locke Justify The Value Of The Individual?
John Locke believes in the Imago Dei, that is the belief that humans are made in the image and likeness of God. Since humans are believed to be created in the image and likeness of God, Locke proposed that the value of the individual is justified by the authority of God. This means that God gave humans the exclusive right to their body and because there is value in their body then there is value in their labor. From this, Locke reasoned that people have a right to private property which is taking a good out of the commons and adding value to it through labor. In Locke’s vision of the social contract God gives authority to private property, and consequently a government is required to protect those rights. Because man is imperfect and is at
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Locke changed this way of thinking, he believed that men developed power in themselves, which they kept and it could be transferred. However, just as previously philosophers had used the authority of God to justify the power of a monarch, Locke used the authority of God to justify the value of the individual. Locke constantly referred to God in his writings, however, his writings are not reliant on being God based. Even in today's secular society, Locke’s philosophy is still valid because Locke's value of the individual are timeless. Locke figured out that left to his own devices man would tend to a perpetual state of conflict. It was Locke’s was goal to figure out how to avoid this. His insight was the theological importance for private property, in man’s own self interest he could make a better society. Locke’s ideas on the exclusive right to oneself are as valid today as the were when they were written hundreds of years …show more content…
Locke believes that human labor gives value to a common good. Locke lays the groundwork for capital society when he says “To which let me add, that he who appropriates land to himself by his labour, does not lessen but increase the common stock of mankind” (V, 37, 294). By recognizing that when labor is given value, then private goods are more valuable than public goods. In stating this, Locke has come up with a whole new philosophy, one that emphasizes the value of the person over the value of the state. Again we see the influence of the Imago Dei but religion does not have to be
Locke changed this way of thinking, he believed that men developed power in themselves, which they kept and it could be transferred. However, just as previously philosophers had used the authority of God to justify the power of a monarch, Locke used the authority of God to justify the value of the individual. Locke constantly referred to God in his writings, however, his writings are not reliant on being God based. Even in today's secular society, Locke’s philosophy is still valid because Locke's value of the individual are timeless. Locke figured out that left to his own devices man would tend to a perpetual state of conflict. It was Locke’s was goal to figure out how to avoid this. His insight was the theological importance for private property, in man’s own self interest he could make a better society. Locke’s ideas on the exclusive right to oneself are as valid today as the were when they were written hundreds of years …show more content…
Locke believes that human labor gives value to a common good. Locke lays the groundwork for capital society when he says “To which let me add, that he who appropriates land to himself by his labour, does not lessen but increase the common stock of mankind” (V, 37, 294). By recognizing that when labor is given value, then private goods are more valuable than public goods. In stating this, Locke has come up with a whole new philosophy, one that emphasizes the value of the person over the value of the state. Again we see the influence of the Imago Dei but religion does not have to be