John Locke

High school (ages 12+)
Philosophy & Big Questions

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/john-locke

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. When was John Locke born?August 29, 1632
2. When did John Locke die?October 28, 1704 (age 72)
3. Where was John Locke born?Wrington, Somerset, England
4. What is the career?Philosopher, Physician, Political Theorist, and Economist
5. What does John Locke mean by "blank slate"?Locke said that when babies are born, their minds are like clean paper, ready to learn from what they see and feel. All the things we know come from our experiences, not from something inside us from the start.
6. Why did John Locke think governments need people's permission?He believed that people choose to give a government some power so that it can keep them safe and protect their life, freedom, and property. The government is only strong if the people agree to it.

Epistemology: The branch of philosophy concerned with the theory of knowledge, its nature, scope, and justification.
Empiricism: The philosophical stance that knowledge is primarily derived from sensory experience and empirical evidence.
Natural Rights: Inherent rights possessed by all individuals by virtue of their humanity, not granted by any government.
Social Contract Theory: A philosophical concept that political authority is derived from an agreement among individuals to form a society and government.