The Governments and States of Locke, Aquinas, and St....

In John Lockes Second Treatise of Government, he identifies a government that is of the peoples consent with his essential raison d#900;à ªtre being the preservation and protection of personal property. This type of government is extremely comparable with the type of government that St. Augustine describes in his work City of God, while at the same time contrasts the views of Aquinas in the ways a state should operate. The end goal of how each of these philosophers states purposes presents the greatest split between each of their philosophies. To understand how each of these philosophers states are similar and different from each other, a deeper analysis is necessary. The first and possibly most striking similarity between the†¦show more content†¦Therefore, Locke argues that in order to have a legitimate set of laws, they must be based on very solid foundations which cannot be subject to argument. Such foundations would be the protection of property, as well as the preservation of an individuals personal rights and freedoms. The role of the government in the eyes of Locke is very simple. It is to protect the peace, safety, security, and public good of the people. Locke arrives at this conclusion from the reasoning behind leaving the state of nature and entering civil society. We leave the state of nature (perfect freedom and perfect equality) in order to be free from being infringed upon by others. Although we must give up some of our freedoms for protection, they are small compared to the benefits of protection that we receive from civil society. To simplify things, we can simply refer to the role of government as to protect our private property. This private property includes our lives, personal rights, and physical objects. In order for the government to be doing its job correctly, Locke believes that all three of these must be protected. Aquinas is contrary to Locke in the respect that he believes the primary role of the government is to make its citizens better people. Aquinas believes that the citizens of a state will become moral if they are repeatedly forced to abide by laws that are based on virtue.Show MoreRelated The Governments and States of Locke, Aquinas, and St. Augustine1375 Words   |  6 PagesLocke’s Second Treatise of Government, he identifies a government that is of the peoples consent with his essential raison damp;#900;à ªtre being the preservation and protection of personal property. This type of government is extremely comparable with the type of government that St. Augustine describes in his work City of God, while at the same time contrasts the views of Aquinas in the ways a state should operate. The end goal of how each of these philosophers’ states purposes presents the greatestRead MoreEuthanasia: An Ethical Dilemma Essay1810 Words   |  8 Pagesappropriate for a doctor? M ore so, euthanasia raises the argument of the different ideas that people have about the value of the human experience. Philosopher, Ezekial Emanuel, asserts that the ethical belief in the 19th and 20th century in the United States are reminiscent of those today, both in terms of content and ferocity. Emanuel adds that interest in euthanasia arose historically and predictably from (1) economic recession or movements of Social Darwinism; (2) doctors who engaged in a struggleRead MoreCatal Hyuk2725 Words   |  11 PagesHammurabi’s Codes/Laws Stele Assyrians Economic Specialization Stratified Patriarchal Society Elite, Commoner, Dependent, Slave Cuneiform Moses Polytheism Cross-Cultural Interaction Cross-Cultural Exchange Semitic City-state Hammurabi Indo-Europeans Hittites Hanging Gardens of Babylon Bronze and Iron Metallurgy Pastoral Nomads Hebrews, Israelites, Jews Abraham Monotheism Phoenicians MAP: Oceans Seas Continents Indian SubcontinentRead MoreBranches of Philosophy8343 Words   |  34 Pagesethical truths, and how such truths could be known. Ethics is also associated with the idea of morality. Platos early dialogues include a search for definitions of virtue. †¢ Political philosophy is the study of government and the relationship of individuals and communities to the state. It includes questions about justice, the good, law, property, and the rights and obligations of the citizen. †¢ Aesthetics deals with beauty, art, enjoyment, sensory-emotional values, perception, and matters of