John Locke and the horrors of classical liberalism

The philosopher and government administrator John Locke is rightfully praised for his analytical brilliance, but, unfortunately, I fear his morals leave something to be desired. Unlike his illustrious predecessor Sir Isaac Newton, who always saw himself as merely an humble instrument of God in his philosophical and scientific enquiries, I do fear John Locke somewhat aspired to be God himself, on his own, and it shows. While Isaac Newton would never have suggested that human reason is perfect, I believe Locke is suggesting that precisely in his empirical epistemological enquiries, and he likes that idea very much indeed. Especially his own reason, which Locke certainly did put on a pedestal! Locke put himself up as a critic of Hobbes and his absolutism, but, actually, Hobbes isn't really that all much of an absolutist when push comes to shove. Hobbes is, first and foremost, a profound realist. Hobbes recognizes the inevitable conflicts between our fellow men can have disastrous consequences, so he sees the need for some kind of government superstructure to control them, but he is extremely flexible about the forms this government superstructure can take. Locke, on the other hand, believes that all human beings can live in "perfect equality and freedom", subject of course, to Locke's own reason! Locke actually had an opportunity to apply this principle directly in his administration and design of the constitution for the Carolinas, in which British aristocrats had the literal power of life and death over all their slaves, by law! Which, by various philosophical and legal circumlocutions, Locke manages to rationalize as "perfect equality and freedom". We all know just how well that all worked out, in the long run. What John Locke really helps us to understand are the true horrors of classical liberalism, in which God is replaced by the tyranny of "human reason" over all, and the "perfect liberty and freedom" of powerful men to do precisely as they choose, no matter what. #philosophy #history #historyofphilosophy #philosophyofhistory #johnlocke #isaacnewton #locke #newton #metaphysics #politicalscience #britishhistory #empiricism #hobbes #slavery #liberalism #leviathen #empiricism #epistemology #mentalillness #sociopathology #psychoanalysis #psychology #sociology #ushistory #sophistry #religion #God