Introduction to John Locke and his Tabula Rasa

Hello,

Join us for an engaging introduction to John Locke’s philosophy, focusing on his life and his concept of the tabula rasa, as presented in John Dunn’s Locke: A Very Short Introduction. We’ll explore Locke’s views on the human mind as a blank slate, his ideas on knowledge and experience, and his vision of government rooted in the protection of life, liberty, and property. The discussion will dive into how Locke’s ideas influenced modern political thought and democratic governance.

Preparation / Reading
In order to participate please prepare by reading or watching at least one of the following:

• Beginner Video - POLITICAL THEORY - John Locke (~9 minutes)
• Intermediate Reading 1 - Chapter 1 - Life (pages 27-50)
• Intermediate Reading 2 - Chapter 3 - Knowledge, belief and faith - The nature of knowledge (excerpt, pages 98-103)

I (Ryan) will be doing all three but will draw mainly from the readings to facilitate the conversation and I will collaborate with others who have also done the advanced reading to offer interpretations.

Location:
Meet us at the Interfaith Chapel on campus. Please RSVP on Meetup to receive more detailed directions.

Parking:
Parking is available on Wilson Blvd, near our venue. A general guide on visitor parking can be found here. A map of some parking is here. The red spaces (reserved) are reserved at all times. The other spaces, I believe, are available to visitors on the weekend, no pass needed. I (Ryan) typically park on Wilson Blvd, which also has no fee on weekends.

Event Details:
This event is welcoming to all. For more details about our group and meeting format, please check out the FAQ.

Questions or Feedback?
If you have any questions or wish to provide feedback, feel free to reach out to us on Meetup.

Future Readings:
We are eager to hear your feedback on what we should read in upcoming weeks. We aim to be flexible to cater to the interests of our members. If you would like to suggest a reading for an upcoming week, please send us a message or feel free to comment in our spreadsheet.
We look forward to exploring these texts with you.

Best Regards,
Ryan