Final answer:
John Locke's educational philosophy highlighted that humans are born with minds as a 'tabula rasa' and that we learn exclusively from experience. His theories profoundly influenced the enlightenment, shaping both future educational practices and the foundational concepts of modern democratic government.
Step-by-step explanation:
John Locke's greatest educational thought can be tied to his belief that at birth, our minds are like a blank slate, or tabula rasa, and that we learn through experience. This revolutionary concept detailed in An Essay Concerning Human Understanding opposes the idea of innate knowledge, asserting that our senses and reflection are central to learning and forming ideas. By emphasizing experience as the cornerstone of learning, Locke laid the foundation for later educational theories and practices. In parallel, his political philosophies in Two Treatises of Government influenced the principles of government and democracy by introducing the ideas of a social contract, popular sovereignty, and natural rights, which were instrumental in shaping the political landscape, especially the U.S. Constitution.