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Compare and contrast Locke and Bayle XVII century was a century of rise and updating of human spirit, radical breakage of becoming obsolete social and economic and political orders, out-of-date spiritual, scientific, moral, aesthetic, philosophical traditions not only in England, but also in continental Europe. Bright representatives of that time were Pierre Bayle and John Locke. The purpose of the given essay is the comparative characteristic of these two philosophers, and also comparison of their theories of tolerance and their attitude to Atheism and Catholicism. For the beginning there are some facts from life of Bayle and Locke. John Locke was born on August, 29, 1632 in the West of England in small town Ringtone, in family of the provincial lawyer.
He was brought up in the Puritan family which was taking place in opposition to reigning in the country English church and to an arbitrariness of absolute monarchy of Charles I. In youthful years Locke feel the influence of fathers political ideals who asserted the sovereignty of people that was carried out through parliament. In 1646 he has been enlisted in Westminster College. In 1652 Locke, was one of the best pupils of college. After college he has entered the Oxford University. At the Oxford Locke approaches with enthusiasts of the new scientific direction resisting to scholastic learning, dominated at the English universities.
Richard Locke, the supporter of experimental studying of the reasons of the diseases who applied blood transfusion for the first time, interests Locke with medicine. At the Oxford Locke becomes Robert Boils friend and together with him carries out and discusses natural-science experiment, has induced at him interest to Descartes's and Gassendys philosophy. In 1672 and 1679 Locke receives various posts in the government agencies of England. From the end of 1675 up to the middle of 1679 because of deterioration of a state of health Locke lived in France.
In 1683 he immigrated to Holland. It were years of intense work, acquaintance with Protestant movement in France and Holland. John Locke dies on October, 28 1704. Pierre Bayle was born on November, 18, 1647 in Karl which is situated in several miles to the southeast from Toulouse, in family of the priest of a local Protestant community. Initial education he has received under the direction of the father, then he attended school in Pui-Lorane where he injured himself with excessive occupations. Pierre was sent to village to one of his relative according to the doctors advice.
There he has found rather rich library and with usual passion was betrayed to reading. He was especially seriously engaged with Montaigne's studying which rendered appreciable influence on a direction of his mind and on character of his future occupations. Because of dissatisfaction of teaching of logic and philosophy in Pui-Lorane, Bayle decides to enter the Toulouse University which was in conduction of Jesuits, but however it was also attended by Protestants students. In February, 1669 Bayle has arrived to Toulouse. In September, 1670 he moves to Geneva where Bayle has entered the university.
Geneva university that was one of the best universities of that time, quickly went on a meeting to new scientific inquiries of a century, and physical sciences occupied in it a place of honor. Descartes's and Gassendys philosophical and scientific ideas, and following for them Lieberman as well as the skeptical freethinkers continuing a line of Montaigne, his own involvement into religious political strike of a century have generated not idle, but rather radical Bayle's outlook Bayle got acquainted with scientists. They were: Minutolly, Cost, Far, etc. One of them, Bank, achieves that the Protestant university in Sedan invites Bayle to occupy vacancy at the faculty of philosophy. In 1675 Bayle becomes the professor of university and during six years reads lectures on philosophy. In 1681 Government closed The University of Sedan and Bayle left France.
Soon he receives a vacancy of the professor of philosophy in the University of Rotterdam. Last six months of life Bayle suffered a lot from a chest illness. The philosopher counted the illness fatal and, despite of advices of friends, refused to accept medicines. He concerned to coming nearer death with amazing calmness, not interrupting the usual hard work for one day. Bayle has died on December, 28, 1706. Being one of the most influential thinkers of their time Bayle and Locke had their own theories of tolerance.
Tolerance is the aspiration and ability to an establishment and maintenance of a generality with people which differ in certain respects from prevailing type or do not adhere to the standard opinions. Tolerance is difficult and rare achievement for that simple reason, that the base of community is patrimonial consciousness. We unite in one generality with those who shares our opinions, or with those who talks in the same language or has the same culture, as we, or with those who belongs to the same ethnic group. In other words, the generality of language and feeling of ethnic affinity on all an extent of a human history represent itself as the bases for community.
At the same time we are inclined hostilely or concern with fear to "another's" - that who differs from us. Distinction can take place at any level of a biological, cultural or political reality. Tolerance as attribute of culture assumes presence in it a variety of systems of true, such as political, religious, national, ethical, aesthetic pluralism. Pierre Bayle is the courageous defender of more radical tolerance. His judgments essentially outstripped time.
Real tolerance immeasurably was late in comparison to development of the theory of tolerance: to accumulation of virtual tolerance in the field of public polemic there corresponded the heat of real intolerance, peak of activity of inquisition, explosion of religious wars. Bayle asserts inadmissibility, any oppressions concerning those who do not accept true belief. In his opinion, it is inadmissible not only to pursue heterodox ies, to accuse them of blasphemy, any acts offending belief and feelings of other people are inadmissible And it doesnt depend on their attitude to such acts or belief. The French skeptic was the first among his contemporaries - adherents who has recognized the right to be the atheist, the right to reject any religion and, thus, has very full formulated concept of tolerance in its modern meaning. Many advanced minds of that time concerned the requirement of such freedom worship dangerous, fraught catastrophic consequences for a society.
On a background of Bayle, John Locke looks like the supporter of half-tolerance, because he released his treatises about tolerance anonymously. Nevertheless, Locke was the founder of not only glossology of New Time, but also of social ontology of the new society which have arisen in Europe after religious wars. Economy serves as the basis of the restored post-war Europe. The social life was examined by Locke as a network of exchange relations where personally free proprietors looking for private benefit enter.
The English philosopher declares three fundamental laws of the person: for a life, for the property and for freedom. Thus, Locke's works contain a complex of philosophical, legal, political and moral laws of the new period of the European culture. Preconditions which were an incitement to occurrence of real tolerance are: switching of activity of the Europeans on construction of material bases of the civilization, inspired with Protestant ethics, self-esteem of the proprietor, presented riches. The tolerance in a human society does not appear itself, it demands efforts, struggle, substantiations, but it also demands financially safe society.
Intolerance of poor people is one of the most awful. They are the first who run into aversion. (Rogers G. A. J. 157 p. ) Each of these two philosophers had their own treatment to Atheism and Catholicism. Their opinions were generated from own life experience. During the residing at Toulouse Bayle had to live in one house with the adherent Catholic religion which, having paid attention on his brilliant abilities and huge amount of books read about divinity and philosophy, started to involve him in conversations on religious themes.
Gradually he managed to prove to the student advantages of Catholic dogma against Protestant and to decline his unsophisticated in subtleties of sophistic's the young man to transition in Catholicism. 19 March, 1669 Bayle marked in his diary as day of transition in a Catholicism. Eventually Pierre has repented of the act and has wished to enter Protestantism again. Full reconciliation of brothers has taken place, and the question on Pierre's transition back in Protestantism has been finally solved. The long and bitter experience of the religious conflicts which have brought huge mountain to set of people and to the whole states has made Bayle the religious defender of toleration.
The basis of this position of the author of "Dictionary" was made, in result of his deep religious indifference - natural reaction to fanatical intolerance of Catholics and Protestants to each other and the more so not to Christians. This caused hatred of Bayle and his persecution as on the part of his recent allies, Huguenots, and their opponents of Protestants. If to examine Locke's attitudes to worship it is rather similar to the French philosopher. In 1667 Locke has written Experience about toleration.
In this work Locke showed his interest to socinianism - to a rationalistic direction in Protestantism. Basing on this work, Lord Ashley tried to convince king to undertake concrete steps on restriction of influence of Catholics growing in England and prosecutions of Protestants. John Locke supported the religious freedom, acted against religious fanaticism of various sects, and he persistently called for toleration. I completely support attitude of both philosophers to Atheism and Catholicism. They called for a freedom of worship. I think that it is correct, because each person is individuality.
Each person has his own point of view and his own world outlooks, and he can decide by himself, in what he should believe and whether to believe in general. Examining their theories of tolerance today it is very difficult to tell, whose theory is more applicable. Bayle's and Locke's theories are very close. Most likely one theory supplements another. In Bayle's opinion, it is inadmissible not only to pursue heterodox ies, to accuse them of blasphemy, any acts offending belief and feelings of other people are inadmissible irrespective of their sights whereas the English philosopher declares three fundamental laws of the person like us are inadmissible: for a life, for the property and for the freedom. Thus, Locke's works contain a complex of philosophical, legal, political and moral laws of the new period of the European culture.
However it is necessary to notice, that judgments of the French philosopher essentially outstripped time. Real tolerance was late in comparison to development of the theory of tolerance: to accumulation of virtual tolerance in the field of public polemic there corresponded heat of real intolerance. Also it is possible to notice how far Bayle's knowledge have gone from the English thinker, in a question on immortality of soul, primacy of a matter and in other philosophical questions. Therefore, in my opinion, I would give preference to the theory of the French philosopher. John Locke and Pierre Bayle undertook all attempts to introduce their ideas to all layers of population. They have been completely possessed by their idea.
Pierre Bayle continued his courageous struggle against religious intolerance, for the right of everyone to trust only that agrees with his conscience and to speak only that thinks, indefatigable noble scientific work to the last day of his life. Bibliography: G. A. J. Rogers: Locke's Philosophy: Content And Context, Clarendon Press, Oxford 1994, 258 pgs; Richard H. Popkin: The History of Skepticism: From Savonarola to Bayle, Oxford University Press 2003, 357 pgs.
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