FREE ESSAY ON HUMAN CHARACTER

HUMAN CHARACTER

Adrian Horstead
2-25-00 
UCCP 102
Dr. Major
The Character of Human Nature According to Francis Bacon and John Locke
Human nature is defined as one's natural instinct or way of life and the primitive state
of life. There are several stories of how man came into existence, but there are fewer
stories that describe the way man personality or how man portrayed himself in his
primitive state. Many philosophers have stated their views of the character of human
nature in their published books or journals. Such as Greek philosopher and historian,
Jacob Burckhardt, and his dictum that power never improved a man, but made him keenly
aware that progress is a short-lived ideal based on wishful thinking rather than on
actuality, have presented his interpretation of the character of human nature. In the
sixteenth century, there were two philosophers by the names of Francis Bacon and John
Locke, and in each of these men's philosophies one will find Bacon's and Locke's
interpretation of the character of human nature due to the respect of the state of
nature.
In Novum Organum, Francis Bacon wrote a short statement explaining the general truth
about his interpretation of nature and the kingdom of man. Bacon started out by stating
that man can do and understand only so much, and if man tries to exceed this fact, then
man neither knows anything nor can do anything. Bacon's reason behind believing that is
not stated, so his statement is made by his own judgment and not backed any sources. The
entire Novum Organum is based on Bacon's interpretation and it is not proven with any
facts or any other philosopher's view. In paragraph XXXVI of Novum Organum, Bacon states,
we must lead men to the particulars themselves, and their series and order; while men on
their side must force themselves for awhile to lay their notions by and begin to
familiarize themselves with facts. When Bacon stated this, he meant that certain men must
train others to relate to themselves and the men following them must put to rest their
conceptions and ideas and start recognizing the facts.
Bacon stated another philosophy when he wrote about idols and false notions in paragraph
XXXVIII. The philosophy he interpreted was that idols and false notions that were taking
over men's minds so much that it was hard for men to realize what was true and what was
false. He stated that unless men are forewarned of the danger then the idols and false
notions will trouble them. Men have been struggling with idols and false notions since
the Roman Empire. As Bacon continued writing about these idols, he broke them down into
four classes, which are Idols of the Tribe, Idols of the Cave, Idols of the Marketplace,
and Idols of the Theatre. Bacon's reason for these were that these were the only idols
worth acknowledging is that in the sixteenth century there were not as many distractions
as there are the modern world, therefore the tribe, cave, marketplace, and theatre were
the only places that people were aware of.
In Of Civil Government, John Locke wrote about his understanding of the state of nature.
Locke's approach to the state of nature was an approach involving political power. In Of
Civil Government, Locke wrote, one must understand the state that all men are naturally
in, and that is, a state of perfect freedom to order their actions and dispose of their
possessions and persons, as they think fit, within the bounds of the law of nature;
without asking leave, or depending upon the will of any other man. This was the
foundation that Locke laid for the character of human nature. Locke felt that men were in
a state of equity and that all the power and jurisdiction is reciprocal. By stating this,
Locke presented the fact that in the beginning no man had more power than the another. 
In the next paragraph, Locke presented the fact that even though men are in a state of
liberty, that does not give any man the right to destroy himself or to violate any
creature in his possession. The reason behind this philosophy is that once several men
gather in confined area, such as a piece of land, then it is human nature for one man to
be in control. If more than one man wants to be in control, then there will be conflict.
In Locke's interpretation, no man has the right to harm himself or anything in his
surroundings.
Francis Bacon and John Locke were two well-known philosophers of the sixteenth century.
Francis Bacon wrote the Novum Organum and in it he presented his interpretation how idols
and false notions came into effect and mislead many men. In Of Civil Government, John
Locke presented his interpretation of the character of human nature with the state that
all men are naturally in. In these two philosophers' works, they did not use anyone
else's work or quote anything from the Bible. These men's philosophies were based upon
their own knowledge.