Page 38 - Masters Sample Courses

Jean-Jacques Rousseau strongly believed in the innate goodness of man and in basic human rights
founded upon universal natural law; in addition, he believed that both rulers and the citizens have
natural human rights as well as obligations to each other which should be bound in a social contract.

His book entitled, Emile, strongly influenced the course of education even today. He developed the idea
of Kindergarten (kinder = child, garten = garden). He believed if you placed a child in a beautiful
environment (a garden), the child would, by his very nature, automatically be inquisitive and learn on his
own. Given the right information, he would develop into a model citizen and contribute greatly toward
the progress of society. He denied the innate sinfulness of man called original sin.

Voltaire (1694-1778) –
3
Born in 1694, in Paris, France, Voltaire established himself as one of the leading
writers of the Enlightenment. His famed works include the tragic play Zaïre, the
historical study The Age of Louis XIV and the satirical novella Candide. Voltaire and
the Marquise analyzed the Bible and concluded that much of its content was
dubious. Voltaire's critical views on religion are reflected in his belief in separation of
church and state and religious freedom, ideas that he had formed after his stay in
England.

John Locke, 1632-1704
4

John Locke was among the most famous philosophers and political theorists of the
th
17 century. He is often regarded as the founder of a school of thought known as British
Empiricism, and he made foundational contributions to modern theories of limited
government.

Both his parents were Puritans and as such, Locke was raised that way. Because of his
father's connections and allegiance to the English government, Locke received an outstanding
education.

In Locke's landmark, Two Treatises of Government, put forth his revolutionary ideas concerning the
natural rights of man and the social contract. Both concepts not only stirred waves in England, but also
impacted the intellectual underpinnings that formed the later American and French revolutions.

Later in his life, Locke wrote A Letter Concerning Toleration in which he wrote that it was impossible for
the state to referee competing religious claims. When the state enforces religion, it always leads to the
opposite effect of the desired religion. Imposing uniformity is far worse than allowing a diversity of
thought. He was a proponent of allowing total religious freedom of thought and practice.

In his The Reasonableness of Christianity, he argued that the beliefs of Christianity were rational and
open to investigation. He taught that through the revelation of Jesus Christ, man can find God. He said
that God revealed His Word through Jesus Christ, and this revelation is reasonable to the common mind.

3 https://www.britannica.com/biography/Voltaire
4 https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Locke