John Locke

Some Thoughts ConcerningEducation

By: Aaron, Dean, Emily, Jake and Chris

Biography

● 1632-1704● English philosopher ● “Father of classical liberalism”● One of the first British empiricists

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Biography

Some major works by Locke include:● Three Letters Concerning Toleration

(1689,1690,1692)● Two Treatises of Government (1689)● An Essay Concerning Human Understanding

(1690)● Some Thoughts Concerning Education

(1693)● The Reasonableness of Christianity (1695)● The Vindication of The Reasonableness of

Christianity (1695)

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Biography

● Had a great impact on the development of epistemology and politics

● Influenced other English and Scottish thinkers as well as the American Revolution

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Significance of Locke

● Ideas on rights (life, liberty, equality) and the responsibility of government went on toshape the American Constitution

● Developed concrete definitionof property, influencing Adam Smith’s capitalism and Karl Marx’s socialism

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● The education of a child shapes their values and personalities

● Children have a mind that retains knowledge stronger and easier than an adult

● “Errors in education shouldbe less indulged than any. These… carry their afterwards incorrigibletaint with them through all parts andstations of life” (pg.223+224)

Children Retain Knowledge

EC

- Locke’s theory of punishment and reward involved getting rid of the two of them.

- Instead of punishment, use reasoning, and demonstrate why the action was wrong.

- Instead of rewards, use encouragement.- With both of those actions in use a different type of person would emerge.

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Reward and Punishment

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Reasonable Children

● Locke believed in turning children into adults as early as possible

● This means treating them like adults

● “Children are to be treated as rational creatures”

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Continued...

● Assumes children have their own knowledge and instincts

● Capable of learning new languages after their first language is taught

● Avoiding treating them like babies

● Punishment based on severity of action

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Empiricism

● The theory that all knowledge is derived from sense of experience.● This kind of theory was developed in the 17th and 18th centuries

Empiricism: John Locke

● Locke believes that human knowledge comes from experience● We are born with empty minds that we fill with knowledge as life goes on.● He focuses on the origin ideasother than other branches

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The Blank Slate Analogy

● “the slate is clean” sums up Locke's theory ● We are born with no distinctive ideas

whatsoever● This contrast with some ideas that are

behind rationalism

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Theory of Natural Law

● Human beings are subject to a moral law● Morality is based on duty rather than right

Questions

1. To what extent did Locke’s ideas on education shape modern Montessori schools? (EC)

2. Do you think that John Locke's views on how to raise a child would be relevant today?(D.T)

3. Do John Lockes ideas on punishment reflect todays methods of punishing children?(D.T)

Glossary

1. Incorrigible: Not corrigible, bad beyond correction or reform

2. Rigor: Strictness, severity, or harshness, as in dealing with people3. Impunity: Exemption from punishment4. Chastisement: Severe criticism5. Propensity: A natural inclination or tendency

6. Caeteris Paribus: “holding other things constant” or “making all things equal”

7. Servile: Having or showing an excessive willingness to serve or please others; Characteristic of a slave

Glossary - Continued

8. Timorous: Showing or suffering from nervousness, fear or lack of confidence

9. Reverence: deep respect for someone or something10.Nihil Invita Minerva: Being unwilling. Without natural talent

or inspiration

Bibliography

Locke, John. "Some Thoughts Concerning Education." In Some Thoughts concerning Education, 1693, 222,223,224,225,226,227,228. Menston: Scolar Press, 1970.Uzgalis, William. "John Locke." Http://plato.stanford.edu/. September 21, 2001. Accessed November 15, 2014.

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