Locke, Aristotle and Aquinas Essay - 2204 Words

Locke, Aristotle and Aquinas In the tomes of history, many philosophers have outlined their visions of a perfect society. Until recently however, few have ventured into the waters of religious tolerance. One such philosopher was John Locke. Writing in the late 17th century, Locke advocated a complete separation between church and state. He argued for an unprecedented tolerance of people of all faiths. Although Lockes views became widely popular throughout Europe and the Americas, they did not meet with unanimous approval. Many earlier philosophers disagreed with Locke. Two such philosophers were Aristotle and Thomas Aquinas. Aquinas disagreed in three key respects: Compulsion, toleration, and authority. Aristotle, on†¦show more content†¦Firstly, he argues that the Care of Souls cannot be entrusted to a Magistrate more than any other man. People are individually responsible for their own salvation, and no man has been given a natural authority over another mans salvation. After all, accordi ng to the dominant religious traditions, all men are equal in the eyes of God. Even in the absence of natural authority, one cannot even confer an artificial authority to a Magistrate. Why? Because salvation is an individual responsibility. But what if the Magistrate were to enact a law contrary to religious belief? In such a case, civil obedience would mean hypocrisy - and this would be immoral. One must never be made to choose between religion and state. Secondly, the Magistracy wields only an outward force, whereas true salvation lies in ones inward resolve. He writes: Such is the nature of the Understanding, that it cannot be compelld [sic] to the belief of any thing by outward force.2 Moreover, enjoining righteousness is not the monopoly of the Magistracy; it is a right belonging to all people. Thirdly, Locke argues that with so much disparity between religious opinions, all states would be in conflict. In such cases, he argues: One country along would be in the right, and all the rest of the World put under an obligation of following their Princes in the ways that lead to Destruction; and that which heightens theirShow MoreRelatedPhilosophy C100 Quiz 121572 Words   |  7 Pages  Which of the following statements about Plato and Aristotle are/were true?    | They were interested in practically every subject then known. |    | They spoke (and wrote) intelligently on philosophical topics. |    | One or the other (or both) formed the metaphysics for Christian theology up to the present day. | X   | All of the above. | 16.   According to the text, the first comprehensive theory of knowledge was developed by    | Aristotle. |    | the Sophists |    | the Cynics |   X |Read MoreAnalysis Of David Hume s Theory Of Justice2868 Words   |  12 Pagesto be the point of contention. What is seen as ethical or morally right by one is not seen in the same way by another. 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