John Locke: The Empirical Educator

John Locke is known as the founder of the philosophical school of empiricism. This school of thought is that knowledge must be gained through experience. In addition to this seminal philosophical work, Locke’s treatise on liberty and the role of government was a fundamental building block used by the American founding fathers such as Madison and Jefferson. What is less known is Locke’s thoughts concerning how to set up an educational system to teach individuals how to be a functioning and contribution member of civil society. Together, this triad of philosophy: understanding knowledge, setting up a government that protects liberty, and creating an educational system that teaches and passes on knowledge for maintaining a civil society continues to drive governments in the present day.