Final answer:
The belief that all people are born free and equal in a state of nature is known as natural rights, as proposed by John Locke during the Age of Enlightenment.
Step-by-step explanation:
The belief that all people are born free and equal in a state of nature is known as natural rights. English philosopher John Locke, a prominent thinker during the Age of Enlightenment, championed this concept. According to Locke, natural rights include the rights to life, liberty, and property, predating the formation of governments. Individuals inherently possess these rights, which governments are formed to protect through the establishment of a social contract. Unlike social contract, divine right suggests that monarchs derive their authority from a deity, and utilitarianism is a philosophy that values the greatest good for the greatest number and does not stem directly from the state of nature ideology.