44. JOHN LOCKE 1632 - 1704.
The famous English philosopher John Locke was the first
writer to put together in coherent form the basic ideas of constitutional
democracy. His ideas strongly influenced the founding fathers of the United
States, as well as many leading philosophers of the French Enlightenment.
Locke was born in 1632, in Wring ton,
England. He was educated at Oxford University, where he received a bachelor's degree in 1656 and a master's degree in 1658. As a
young man, he was very much
interested in science, and at thirty-six was elected to the Royal
Society. He became good friends with the famous chemist Robert Boyle, and later
in his life became friends with Isaac
Newton. He was also interested in medicine, and received a bachelor's
degree in that field, though he only practiced occasionally.
A turning point in Locke's life was
his acquaintance
