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How did aristotle influence enlightment era philosophers thomas hobbes and john locke

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Here's how Aristotle's ideas influenced Hobbes and Locke:

Politics

Aristotle's "Politics" and "Nicomachean Ethics," influenced Hobbes and Locke. For example, Hobbes, in his work "Leviathan," drew from Aristotle's ideas about the social nature of human beings. Like Aristotle, Hobbes believed that humans are political animals and that the formation of societies and governments is a natural outcome of human interactions. Similarly, Locke, in his "Two Treatises of Government," drew on Aristotle's ideas about the nature of political authority and the social contract. Locke's emphasis on the consent of the governed and the idea that individuals have natural rights reflects some of Aristotle's notions of justice and the role of the state.

Epistemology

Aristotle's contributions to epistemology and his empiricist approach to knowledge influenced both Hobbes and Locke. Aristotle's idea that knowledge is derived from sensory experience and that reason plays a crucial role in understanding the world contributed to the empiricist tradition.

Particularly, Hobbes shared Aristotle's view that knowledge is grounded in sensory experience. Hobbes emphasized the importance of sense perception in his theory of knowledge. Locke's famous "Essay Concerning Human Understanding" is a cornerstone of empiricist philosophy. He developed the "tabula rasa" concept, which suggests that the mind starts as a blank slate and acquires knowledge through experience, a view influenced by Aristotle's empiricism.

Ethics and Morality

Aristotle's ethical philosophy, as outlined in the "Nicomachean Ethics," explored the nature of virtue, ethics, and the good life. His discussion of ethics had a lasting impact on moral philosophy during the Enlightenment.

Hobbes and Locke both engaged with questions of ethics and morality. For instance, Hobbes discussed the concept of the "state of nature," where individuals' self-interest and pursuit of self-preservation are central ethical concerns. Locke's ideas on natural rights and the moral limitations of government drew from Aristotle's discussions of ethics and justice.

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