influence of philosopher John Locke
The epitaph on the tombstone of philosopher John Locke reads, as translated from the Latin:
"Near this place lies John Locke. If you wonder what kind of man he was, the answer is that he was one contented with his modest lot. A scholar by training, he devoted his studies wholly to the pursuit of truth. Such you may learn from his writings, which will also tell you whatever else there is to be said about him, and more faithfully than the dubious eulogies of an epitaph."
The ongoing influence of Locke's writings will be the focus of an exhibition and international conference this week at the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, 121 Wall St.
John Locke (1632-1704) -- considered one of the great philosophers of his time -- was an Oxford scholar, medical researcher and physician, political operative, economist and idealogue for a revolutionary movement. His works include "Essay Concerning Human Understanding," in which he defines how people understand concepts such as God, the self, nature and more; "Two Treatises of Civil Government," in which he distinguishes between legitimate and illegitimate civil governments, and argues for revolt against tyrants; and a "Letter Concerning Toleration," in which he advocates a separation between church and state.
The Yale event honoring Locke this fall marks the 300th anniversary of his death. It echoes a similar program held at Yale in 1932 celebrating the tercentenary of the philosopher's birth. The earlier occasion commemorated Locke's many achievements and showcased Yale's extensive holdings of Lockeana with an exhibition of his first editions at Sterling Memorial Library.
In the years since, those holdings have grown considerably. The exhibition opening this month at the Beinecke Library, titled "Lockeana at Yale: John Locke and the Early Enlightenment Republic of Letters," will feature many of these new materials. These include various books from Locke's personal library, autograph letters and volumes bearing Locke's annotations, and other related materials documenting his many contributions to the history of ideas.
"Lockeana at Yale" will open with a reception on Thursday, Oct. 28, at 6:15 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. The exhibition will continue through December.
The conference, "Locke Through the Centuries: Assessing the Lockean Legacy, 1704-2004," will take place Thursday-Saturday, Oct. 28-30. Distinguished scholars will address the history and posthumous legacy of each of Locke's major works over the past 300 years in Europe, the Americas and around the globe.
The keynote speech, "John Locke and the Intellectual Legacy of the Early Enlightenment," will be presented at 5:15 p.m. on Thursday by Jonathan Israel of Princeton University. Friday's panels will be "Locke Remembered: The Biographical Tradition" (9:30-11:30 a.m.), "The Religious Legacy: Toleration and the Reasonableness of Christianity" (1-3 p.m.) and "The Political and Philosophicaal Legacy" (3:30-5:30 p.m.). Saturday's program will include a panel on "Locke's Legacy in the Sciences and the Americas" (9:30-11:30 a.m.) and closing remarks by Professor Ian Shapiro of Yale on "Locke's Legacy in the Wider World" (11:30 a.m.-noon).
The conference is free, but registration is required. The event will also include a commemorative banquet on Friday, for which there is a $50 per-person fee. For a complete conference schedule and registration information, visit the Beinecke Library's website at www.library.yale.edu/beinecke/brblhome.html and click on "lectures and conferences," or send e-mail to beinecke.conferences@yale.edu.
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