Locke

This is a general introduction to the philosophy of John Locke. Nicholas Jolley aims to show the fundamental unity of Locke's thought in his masterpiece, the "Essay Concerning Human Understanding". In this work Locke advances a largely coherent and consistent theory of knowledge - as against Descartes he argues that knowledge is possible to the extent that it concerns essences which are constructions of the human mind. Locke's discussions of individual topics, such as substance, personal identity, and free will, are all designed to contribute to the goal of analyzing the nature and limits of knowledge. The book ends with a chapter on Locke's political philosophy which underlines the interest in promoting a more tolerant society that is common to both the "Essay" and the "Two Treatises of Government".