Lockeaposs participation in modern scientific

Locke's participation in modern scientific advances was largely the result of his close ties with
Robert Boyle. Throughout Europe, education's focus on the ancient world was being challenged by

thinkers who preferred to focus on new technology and modern ideas. Locke's Essay gave one of
the decisive blows to the already ailing Scholastic movement.
Philosophical Context
It might seem strange that as great a thinker as John Locke took time out his valuable days to write a
"how to" manual for parents, but, actually, Locke took out time to write on all sorts of random topics.
Though he is best known for his thoughts on politics and on issues related to psychology and natural
science, he also had a lot to say about economics, the bible, and even literature. Though these subjects
might seem far-flung, they are bound by certain common themes, and can all be seen as part of a loose
system of thought.
Locke did not set out to write a book on education. In 1684, he was approached by his friend Edward
Clarke, who asked for Locke's advice on how to best raise his newborn son. Locke responded with
a series of letters, which he continued to send all the way up until 1691. During the course of these letter-
writing years other friends, such as William Molyneux, asked to see the letters, and soon Locke's
ideas on education were circulating among a small group of parents. According to the preface of Some
Thoughts, it was the members of this group of readers that ultimately persuaded Locke to publish his
letters as a book.
Because it started as a series of letters, Some Thoughts does not present a systematic theory of education.
As the title indicates, it merely presents some thoughts on the topic. Nonetheless it shows a great deal of
insight into child psychology. When Locke speaks about "education", what he means is primarily moral
education. The aim of education, in his view, is to give a man rational control over his passions and
desires.
As Locke sees the world, there exist certain laws of nature, stemming from God, and we must only use
our reason to discover these laws. The most basic law of nature states that we must defend all of
God's creatures (both ourselves and others) because we are all children of God and beloved by him.
Other laws state that we have a right to property and that we have a right to punish those who violate the
laws of nature. By using our reason to discover these laws, and then by following the dictates of these
laws, we not only create the ideal civil society (one governed by consensual contract) but we avoid almost
all human evils. The ability for human society to function in this ideal way, however, depends on the
capacity people have for subverting their own passing whimsies to the dictates of reason. If people do not
have this capacity, then civil society cannot maintain itself because the laws of nature will not be heeded.