John Locke and Modern Life (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9780521192804)

This book recovers a sense of John Locke's central role in the making of the modern world. It demonstrates that his vision of modern life was constructed on a philosophy of human freedom that is the intellectual nerve connecting the various strands of his thought. By revealing the depth and originality of Locke's critique of the metaphysical assumptions and authoritative institutions of pre-modern life, this book rejects the notion of Locke as an intellectual anachronism. Indeed, the radical core of Locke's modern project was the "democratization of mind," according to which he challenged practically every previous mode of philosophical analysis by making the autonomous individual the sole determinant of truth. It was on the basis of this new philosophical dispensation that Locke crafted a modern vision not only of government but also of the churches, the family, education, and the conduct of international relations.

Author: Lee Ward
ISBN-10: 0521192803
ISBN-13: 9780521192804
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Language: English
Published: 08/23/2010
Pages: 328
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 1.23lbs
Size: 9.20h x 6.20w x 1.00d

Review Citation(s):
Choice 05/01/2011