John Locke

John Locke was an English philosopher whose work helped establish modern empiricism and shaped later theories of political liberalism. His major writings include An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, which examined the limits and sources of human knowledge, and Two Treatises of Government, which defended consent-based government and resistance to tyranny. Trained in medicine and active as a medical researcher, Locke also collaborated with physician Thomas Sydenham, an experience that influenced his empirical approach.