by Kyle Everett

Created on: February 19, 2010   Last Updated: February 20, 2010

The Enlightenment was a time quite different than the Renaissance, where thinkers started to apply logic and experimentation to the laws around them. Many writers and intellectual philosophers shaped life into a particularly different way. Every philosopher had their own opinions on what was right and wrong. There is not one philosopher whose opinions are incorrect. They all had their own ideas on society and life around them. Some of the most influential philosophers of this time period were John Locke, Thomas Hobbes, and Baron de Montesquieu. Their beliefs were quite different, but they were ideas of their own. 

 

Thomas Hobbes was a pioneer of modern politics and held beliefs that show a poor outlook on society. Hobbes was also a well known philosopher, who believed heavily that life in the state of nature is, “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short (Smolensky 380).” He concludes that men do not know good or evil, so they should hand their life to a supreme ruler. Hobbes was certain that there would be “war… of every man against every man (Beck 629).” Humans were naturally selfish and wicked, and could not change this about themselves. Hobbes concluded that these are traits that the human race will always have. John Locke was a philosopher who, “held a different, more positive, view of human nature (Beck 630).” Locke believed that every human was first equal and free. They also were accompanied by the three natural rights of life liberty, and property. His idea of humans, was that they could improve themselves through time, and learn from experience. He concluded that the life of humans was pleasant and peaceful. Humans honored each others objectives and knew what was right and wrong.
    

Thomas Hobbes was the intelligent philosopher who believed that humans were naturally evil. He thought the only way to control these naturally wicked people were to hold them under a strong government. His interpretation of the human race was quite different of those of John Locke. John Locke believed humans were good. They somewhat carved their paths through the choices they make through life. Locke believed that, “human behavior came from thought which was learned and subject to the influence of reason and observation (Dawson 857).” Locke’s main ideas were positive to the human race. He also philosophized the idea that humans know right from wrong, and they are intelligent enough

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