Lowe - Locke

Locke

an admirable introduction written by a real philosopher with a real philosophical interest in Locke.

Andrew Pyle, Bristol University, UK

a wonderful contribution to the understanding of Locke by non-specialists.

Dan Kaufman, University of Colorado, Boulder, USA

Routledge Philosophers

Edited by Brian Leiter
University of Texas, Austin

Routledge Philosophers is a major series of introductions to the great Western philosophers. Each book places a major philosopher or thinker in historical context, explains and assesses their key arguments, and considers their legacy. Additional features include a chronology of major dates and events, chapter summaries, annotated suggestions for further reading and a glossary of technical terms.

An ideal starting-point for those new to philosophy, they are also essential reading for those interested in the subject at any level.

Forthcoming:

E. J. Lowe

Locke

First published 2005
by Routledge

2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN

Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada
by Routledge

270 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10016

Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group

2005 E. J. Lowe

Typeset in Joanna MT and Din by
RefineCatch Ltd, Bungay, Suffolk
Printed and bound in Great Britain by
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All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data

Lowe, E. J. (E. Jonathan)

Locke / E. J. Lowe.

p. m. (The Routledge philosophers)

Includes bibliographical references (p. ) and index.

ISBN 0415283477 (hardcover) ISBN 0-415283485 (pbk.)

1. Locke, John, 16321704. I. Title. II. Series.

B1297.L69 2005

192 dc22

2004017847

ISBN 0415283477 (hbk)
ISBN 0415283485 (pbk)

Preface

My aim in this book is to expound and evaluate a representative sample of John Lockes philosophical views, focusing on certain major areas of his work that I judge to have been of lasting interest and importance. Owing to the great size of Lockes literary output and the broad scope of his philosophical concerns, I concentrate on the central core of his intellectual system: his theory of knowledge, his metaphysics, his philosophy of mind, and his philosophy of language as they are developed in the Essay Concerning Human Understanding and his political philosophy, as it is represented in his Second Treatise of Government. However, I also make mention of some of Lockes other influential works in to give a broader overview of his work.

There have been several good studies in recent years of specific aspects of Lockes philosophy as well as some dealing with his life and work more generally. The present book is distinctive in a number of respects. First, it includes an account of Lockes personal history and intellectual development which does not presume that its readers will already be familiar with the general circumstances of English political and intellectual life in the seventeenth century. Second, it does not assume an extensive acquaintance with presentday philosophical debates, doctrines and terms that are relevant to the evaluation of Lockes philosophy. Third, on many particular issues the interpretation of Lockes views that it advances differs significantly from those of other recent commentators and scholars. It is not in any sense a rival to my own earlier book, Locke on Human Understanding (London and New York: Routledge, 1995), although it does complement that book in various ways. The earlier book focuses exclusively on the Essay Concerning Human Understanding and is intended to guide its readers through that particular text. In the present book, I am also concerned with other aspects of Lockes work, notably his political philosophy, while at the same time being more selective in my choice of topics on which to concentrate. However, I do take the opportunity here to develop, modify or further defend some of the interpretations of Lockes views that I advanced in the earlier book, as well as to present in an accessible form the results of other work that I have done on Lockes philosophy since that book appeared.

My primary intention is that this book should provide something specifically suited to the needs of students and general readers who are newcomers to Lockes philosophy with little specialized knowledge of recent developments in academic philosophy or Locke scholarship. Thus it may serve as a general introduction to Lockes thought for undergraduate students of philosophy and related disciplines. At the same time, I include material which will, I hope, be of some interest to Locke scholars, historians of philosophy and philosophers concerned with the current debates that Lockes thought has influenced. For the benefit of non-specialist readers, I have included a glossary of philosophical terms at the end of the book. This explains the meanings of certain important terms which recur frequently or figure prominently in Lockes writings or in discussions of Lockes philosophy. Following each chapter, I have provided some suggestions for further reading. A consolidated bibliography appears at the end of the book.

Acknowledgements

In writing this book, I have in various places drawn upon, adapted or developed work of mine that has appeared in print elsewhere in recent years, mostly in journal articles which some readers of the book may not find easily accessible. I am indebted to the editors and publishers concerned for permission to do this. In , I draw upon my article Locke: Compatibilist Event-Causalist or Libertarian Substance-Causalist?, Philosophy and Phenomenological Research 68 (2004), pp. 688701.

I am grateful to Brian Leiter, the series editor, and to Tony Bruce of Routledge for encouraging me to write this book, and to them as well as to three anonymous readers for very helpful suggestions concerning its content.

Chronology