John Locke Quotes

246 Sourced Quotes

Man is not permitted without censure to follow his own thoughts in the search of truth, when they lead him ever so little out of the common road.

John Locke
For those who either perceive but dully, or retain the ideas that come into their minds but ill, who cannot readily excite or compound them, will have little matter to think on.

John Locke
The thoughts that come often unsought, and, as it were, drop into the mind, are commonly the most valuable of any we have.

John Locke
Men's happiness or misery is [for the] most part of their own making.

John Locke
The boundaries of the species, whereby men sort them, are made by men.

John Locke
Those are not at all to be tolerated who deny the being of God. Promises, covenants, and oaths, which are the bonds of human society, can have no hold upon an atheist. The taking away of God, though but even in thought, dissolves all.

John Locke
Virtue is everywhere that which is thought praiseworthy; and nothing else but that which has the allowance of public esteem is called virtue.

John Locke
Whosoever is found variable, and changeth manifestly without manifest cause, giveth suspicion of corruption: therefore, always, when thou changest thine opinion or course, profess it plainly, and declare it, together with the reasons that move thee to change.

John Locke
In transgressing the law of nature, the offender declares himself to live by another rule than that of reason and common equity.

John Locke
He that judges without informing himself to the utmost that he is capable, cannot acquit himself of judging amiss

John Locke
Let them have what instructions you will, and ever so learned lectures of breeding daily inculcated into them, that which will most influence their carriage will be the company they converse with, and the fashion of those about them.

John Locke
I find every sect, as far as reason will help them, make use of it gladly: and where it fails them, they cry out, It is a matter of faith, and above reason.

John Locke
For it will be very difficult to persuade men of sense that he who with dry eyes and satisfaction of mind can deliver his brother to the executioner to be burnt alive, does sincerely and heartily concern himself to save that brother from the flames of hell in the world to come.

John Locke
The mind ought to examine all the grounds of probability, and upon a due balancing the whole, reject or receive it proportionably to the preponderancy of probability on the one side or the other.

John Locke
For the understanding, like the eye, judging of objects only by its own sight, cannot but be pleased with what it discovers, having less regret for what has escaped it, because it is unknown.

John Locke
If the innocent honest Man must quietly quit all he has for Peace sake, to him who will lay violent hands upon it, I desire it may be considered what kind of Peace there will be in the World, which consists only in Violence and Rapine; and which is to be maintained only for the benefit of Robbers and Oppressors.

John Locke
He that in the ordinary affairs of life would admit of nothing but direct plain demonstration would be sure of nothing in this world but of perishing quickly.

John Locke
Till a man can judge whether they be truths or not, his understanding is but little improved, and thus men of much reading, though greatly learned, but may be little knowing.

John Locke
It is one thing to persuade, another to command; one thing to press with arguments, another with penalties.

John Locke
Mathematical proofs, like diamonds, are hard as well as clear, and will be touched with nothing but strict reasoning.

John Locke
Truth certainly would do well enough, if she were once left to shift for herself...She is not taught by laws, nor has she any need of force, to procure her entrance into the minds of men.

John Locke
Words, in their primary or immediate signification, stand for nothing but the ideas in the mind of him who uses them.

John Locke
For number applies itself to men, angels, actions, thoughts; everything that either doth exist, or can be imagined.

John Locke
Heat is a very brisk agitation of the insensible parts of the object, which produces in us that sensation, from whence we denominate the object hot; so what in our sensation is heat, in the object is nothing but motion.

John Locke
Thus the law of nature stands as an eternal rule to all men, legislators as well as others. The rules that they make for other mens actions, must, as well as their own and other mens actions, be conformable to the law of nature, i.e. to the will of God, of which that is a declaration, and the fundamental law of nature being the preservation of mankind, no human sanction can be good, or valid against it.

John Locke
The greatest part cannot know, and therefore they must believe.

John Locke
The parts of pure space are immovable, which follows from their inseparability; motion being nothing but change of distance between any two things; but this cannot be between parts that are inseparable; which therefore must needs be at perpetual rest one amongst other.

John Locke
If a man had a positive idea of infinite - he could add two infinites together: nay, make one infinite infinitely bigger than another, absurdities too gross to be confuted.

John Locke
It is therefore worthwhile, to search out the bounds between opinion and knowledge; and examine by what measures, in things, whereof we have no certain knowledge, we ought to regulate our assent, and moderate our persuasions.

John Locke
Earthly minds, like mud walls, resist the strongest batteries; and though, perhaps, sometimes the force of a clear argument may make some impression, yet they nevertheless stand firm, keep out the enemy, truth, that would captivate or disturbe them.

John Locke