Summary Of The Second Treatise Of Government By John Locke

SYNTHESIS #2 – Bacon and Locke
It seems as though it is human nature to elevate others into positions of power or influence. Authority always arises within a group and a group always arises because humans are social and must interact with one another to create shared context and thus generate a culture and society. It also seems as though it is human nature to dislike those whose actions are for their own betterment instead of the betterment of humankind as a whole. This impression of what it means to be human–that being human can be partially characterized by a need to have altruistic leaders, and thus that people value selfless goodwill and assertive guidance–is an idea that is perpetuated throughout the works of the scientific revolution. …show more content…
In The New Atlantis, Bacon used science as a way of helping humans restore what life was like in Eden. In The Second Treatise of Government, Locke uses government as a way of preserving the good parts of his proposed State of Nature and altering the less favorable qualities. In each of these texts, the author creates a utopia in which their new ideologies are implemented. Science and government are the respective tools of Bacon and Locke. Though their vehicles are different, they carry a very similar message. Bacon believes that science should be charitable–practiced and developed not for the benefit of the scientist, but for the benefit of the larger scope. He believes that science is the path toward restoring the edenistic state of the world, that science and reasoning hold the solution to all ailments of mankind. Similarly, Locke believes that government is the path toward protecting the natural rights of mankind. He believes that government can and should be used to improves the rights of people–to provide them with security, equality, certain freedoms, time, convenience, and assurance in protection of basic rights. In each of these constructed scenarios, leaders