Explore 100+ Timeless John Locke Quotes for Enlightenment
In the realm of philosophy, few names resonate as profoundly as John Locke. Known as one of the most influential Enlightenment thinkers, his ideas have shaped modern understanding of self, governance, and knowledge. This article explores various quotes by John Locke, dissecting their relevance and impact across different facets of human thought and behavior. Each section is a deep dive into a specific aspect, encapsulating twelve quotes that illuminate Locke's wisdom and its enduring legacy, offering insights into human nature, personal liberty, government, the pursuit of happiness, and the acquisition of knowledge. Through these quotes, we uncover the layers of Locke's philosophy and the timeless truths nestled within them.
"The only fence against the world is a thorough knowledge of it."
"New opinions are always suspected, and usually opposed, without any other reason but because they are not already common."
"It is one thing to show a man that he is in an error, and another to put him in possession of truth."
"Reading furnishes the mind only with materials of knowledge; it is thinking that makes what we read ours."
"The mind is furnished with ideas by experience alone."
"I have always thought the actions of men the best interpreters of their thoughts."
"All wealth is the product of labor."
"An excellent man, like precious metal, is in every way invariable; a villain, like the beams of a balance, is always varying, upwards and downwards."
"The end of law is not to abolish or restrain, but to preserve and enlarge freedom."
"A sound mind in a sound body is a short but full description of a happy state in this world."
"No man’s knowledge here can go beyond his experience."
"The greatest part of our knowledge arises from the consideration of things themselves."
"The state of nature has a law of nature to govern it, which obliges every one: and reason, which is that law, teaches all mankind, who will but consult it, that being all equal and independent, no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty, or possessions."
"Liberty is to be free from restraint and violence from others."
"Being all equal and independent, no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty, or possessions."
"The reason why men enter into society is the preservation of their property."
"A man’s liberty consists in freedom to do all that he wills, provided he infringes not the equal freedom of any other man."
"We are like chameleons; we take our hue and the color of our moral character, from those who are around us."
"The liberty of man, in society, is to be under no other legislative power, but that established, by consent, in the commonwealth; nor under the dominion of any will, or restraint of any law, but what that legislative shall enact, according to the trust put in it."
"The discipline of desire is the background of character."
"To love truth for truth's sake is the principal part of human perfection in this world, and the seed-plot of all other virtues."
"I have always esteemed it a greater happiness to be free in one's own thoughts than to be lord of the world."
"Where all is but dream, reasoning and arguments are of no use, truth and knowledge nothing."
"Men being, as has been said, by nature, all free, equal, and independent."
"The end of government is the good of mankind."
"Government has no other end, but the preservation of property."
"Whenever the legislators endeavor to take away and destroy the property of the people, or reduce them to slavery under arbitrary power, they put themselves into a state of war with the people."
"To avoid this state of war is one great reason of men's putting themselves into society and quitting the state of nature."
"The legislative cannot transfer the power of making laws to any other hands."
"The end of law is not to abolish or restrain, but to preserve and enlarge freedom."
"Revolt is the right of the people, to not just refuse allegiance, but to rise against a government that is tyrannical or unjust."
"Political power, then, I take to be a right of making laws with penalties of death, and consequently all less penalties."
"Tyranny is the exercise of power beyond right, which nobody can have a right to."
"No man can have a right to that which by a mean deprives me of my right."
"The reason why men enter into society is the preservation of their property."
"The power that every individual gave the society when he entered into it can never revert to the individuals again, as long as the society lasts, but will always remain in the community."
"Our incomes are like our shoes; if too small, they gall and pinch us; but if too large, they cause us to stumble and to trip."
"The necessities of the poor are not inevitable, but obligations."
"Happiness and self-actualization are connected to living out of our own identities rather than identities imposed by others."
"Life is for living."
"The business of man is to seek happiness and avoid misery."
"Seek truth and you will find a path to happiness."
"True happiness is founded upon virtue."
"Happiness is the state of durable joy and satisfaction with one's life as a whole."
"Men are anxious to improve their circumstances, but are unwilling to improve themselves, they therefore remain bound."
"Happiness is born from the mind, not from external objects."
"No man's knowledge here can go beyond his experience."
"Living harmoniously with others opens the way to greater personal fulfillment."
"The only fence against the world is a thorough knowledge of it."
"The improvement of understanding is for two ends: first, for our own increase of knowledge; secondly, to enable us to deliver that knowledge to others."
"Education begins the gentleman, but reading, good company and reflection must finish him."
"Parents wonder why the streams are bitter, when they themselves have poisoned the fountain."
"Every man has a right to punish the offender, and be executioner of the law of nature."
"All men are liable to error; and most men are, in many points, by passion or interest, under temptation to it."
"No man's knowledge here can go beyond his experience."
"To love truth for truth's sake is the principal part of human perfection in this world."
"The improvement of understanding is for two ends: first, for our own increase of knowledge; secondly, to enable us to deliver that knowledge to others."
"Education is for improving the lives of others and for leaving your community and world better than you found it."
"Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere."
"The discipline of desire is the background of character."
"All men are liable to error; and most men are, in many points, by passion or interest, under temptation to it."
"There is frequently more to be learned from the unexpected questions of a child than the discourses of men."
"The only fence against the world is a thorough knowledge of it."
"Understanding all political power to be a right, not constituted by men, but by reason and nature."
"Truth, according to the common notions of religion of the country, is a piece of shame, or a means to discredit."
"It is one thing to show a man that he is in an error, and another to put him in possession of truth."
"I have always thought the actions of men the best interpreters of their thoughts."
"All wealth is the product of labor."
"To love truth for truth's sake is the principal part of human perfection in this world."
"Our knowledge, our own personal reality, is like a tapestry of bewildering complexity, and yet beautifully formed by ideas and perceptions that flow like threads through it all."
"No man's knowledge here can go beyond his experience."
"The greatest part of our knowledge arises from the consideration of things themselves."
"To love truth for truth's sake is the principal part of human perfection in this world."
"The very essence of masculinity is the man’s ability to rely on his own resources, thought and judgment."
"Education begins the gentleman, but reading, good company and reflection must finish him."
"The business of man is to seek happiness and avoid misery."
"Truth scarcity becomes a principle of progress."
"The business of man is to seek happiness and avoid misery."
"The discipline of desire is the background of character."
"Wisdom is the right use of knowledge."
"Men are anxious to improve their circumstances, but are unwilling to improve themselves, they therefore remain bound."
"All men are liable to error; and most men are, in many points, by passion or interest, under temptation to it."
"We are like chameleons; we take our hue and the color of our moral character, from those who are around us."
"Living harmoniously with others opens the way to greater personal fulfillment."
"No man's knowledge here can go beyond his experience."
"Reading furnishes the mind only with materials of knowledge; it is thinking that makes what we read ours."
"The greatest part of our knowledge arises from the consideration of things themselves."
"The mind is furnished with ideas by experience alone."
"I have always thought the actions of men the best interpreters of their thoughts."
"To love truth for truth's sake is the principal part of human perfection in this world."
"Wisdom is the right use of knowledge."
"An excellent man, like precious metal, is in every way invariable; a villain, like the beams of a balance, is always varying, upwards and downwards."
"Our incomes are like our shoes; if too small, they gall and pinch us; but if too large, they cause us to stumble and to trip."
"Happiness is the state of durable joy and satisfaction with one's life as a whole."
"Truth scarcity becomes a principle of progress."
"Happiness is born from the mind, not from external objects."
"All mankind... being all equal and independent, no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty or possessions."
"The end of law is not to abolish or restrain, but to preserve and enlarge freedom."
"The legislative cannot transfer the power of making laws to any other hands."
"Tyranny is the exercise of power beyond right, which nobody can have a right to."
"To love truth for truth's sake is the principal part of human perfection in this world."
"Where all is but dream, reasoning and arguments are of no use, truth and knowledge nothing."
"To avoid this state of war is one great reason of men's putting themselves into society and quitting the state of nature."
"The liberty of man, in society, is to be under no other legislative power, but that established, by consent, in the commonwealth; nor under the dominion of any will, or restraint of any law, but what that legislative shall enact, according to the trust put in it."
"The business of man is to seek happiness and avoid misery."
"Living harmoniously with others opens the way to greater personal fulfillment."
"The greatest part of our knowledge arises from the consideration of things themselves."
"Wisdom is the right use of knowledge."
"The business of man is to seek happiness and avoid misery."
"Men are anxious to improve their circumstances, but are unwilling to improve themselves, they therefore remain bound."
"Education is for improving the lives of others and for leaving your community and world better than you found it."
"Living harmoniously with others opens the way to greater personal fulfillment."
"Our incomes are like our shoes; if too small, they gall and pinch us; but if too large, they cause us to stumble and to trip."
"The greatest part of our knowledge arises from the consideration of things themselves."
"Wisdom is the right use of knowledge."
"All men are liable to error; and most men are, in many points, by passion or interest, under temptation to it."
"Truth scarcity becomes a principle of progress."
"To love truth for truth's sake is the principal part of human perfection in this world."
"The improvement of understanding is for two ends: first, for our own increase of knowledge; secondly, to enable us to deliver that knowledge to others."
"To avoid this state of war is one great reason of men's putting themselves into society and quitting the state of nature."
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