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What does Locke say?
In political theory, or political philosophy, John Locke refuted the theory of the divine right of kings and argued that all persons are endowed with natural rights to life, liberty, and property and that rulers who fail to protect those rights may be removed by the people, by force if necessary.
Who was Thomas Hobbes and what did he do?
Thomas Hobbes was an English philosopher, scientist, and historian best known for his political philosophy, especially as articulated in his masterpiece Leviathan (1651).
What does John Locke mean by natural law?
Locke’s claim is that individuals have a duty to respect the rights of others, even in the state of nature. The source of this duty, he says, is natural law. Locke says individuals have a duty to respect the property (and lives and liberties) of others even in the state of nature, a duty he traces to natural law.
Which philosopher came up with natural rights?
The idea first came up in ancient times but was discussed most famously by English philosopher John Locke. Locke said that the most important natural rights are “Life, Liberty, and Property”. In the United States Declaration of Independence , the natural rights mentioned are “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness”.
Who said that people are born with natural rights?
Locke wrote that all individuals are equal in the sense that they are born with certain “inalienable” natural rights. That is, rights that are God-given and can never be taken or even given away. Among these fundamental natural rights, Locke said, are “life, liberty, and property.”.
Who believed in natural rights?
John Locke (1632 – 1704) was another prominent Western philosopher who conceptualized rights as natural and inalienable. Like Hobbes , Locke believed in a natural right to life, liberty, and property.
Why are natural rights so important?
Natural rights are those that exist based on who you are as a creature. They are not based on your status as a citizen in a society. Natural rights can be trampled on by a civil government, but they are important because they provide a standard for measuring how free you are and how corrupt your government is.