This was a GREAT book. It kept you captivated and worked to keep you guessing. It was similar to watching a good mystery movie.

Nobody knows the answer of life.

John Locke's Letter Concerning Toleration is one of the most under appreciated texts in the liberal tradition of political philosophy. When read in conjunction with his Second Treatise, it clarifies the relationship Locke envisions between individuals and the Lockean state. The subject of the Letter is specifically religious toleration, but his general argument for toleration is also applicable to issues of more modern concern.

In the letter, Locke argues that all religious practices should be tolerated unless they are a threat to the proper functioning of the state. Some specific practices are not tolerated - Locke perceives the Catholic allegiance to the Pope, at that time, not only a religious leader, but also an influential foreign political leader, as a threat to the state, and he believes that atheists cannot be trusted by the state, since they have no higher power to whom they can swear an oath. Locke does not tolerate these individuals, because of his (inaccurate) perceptions of them, but religion is still not the basis for their non-toleration. (In the sense that others who are inherently untrustworthy, or bowed to a foreign ruler, would also not be tolerated, regardless of their religion).

The toleration of some other practices is situational. For instance, a state that normally has no law against individuals slaughtering animals (for food, et al) cannot prevent a religious sect from sacrificing an animal, but if that same state, needing meat for its troops in a time of war, bans all private citizens from killing animals, then this ban applies likewise to the sacrifice of animals as part of religious worship. This is not a state of license, in that the civil government does not actively promote a variety of (or for that matter, any) religious practices, but it is a state of negative liberty, in which the state remains neutral to the religious content of religious worship. Specific sects or acts of worship can be banned if they are "prejudicial to other men's rights" or they "break the public peace of societies," but they cannot be banned on religious grounds.

Some critics have argued that Locke's Letter is no longer very relevant: he deals only with religious toleration, and religious toleration is widely accepted and practiced in the modern Western world. However, the historical context of the Letter suggests it retains its relevance. In Locke's day, religion was not the dormant issue it is today; rather it was the most controversial issue of public debate. Before Locke, toleration was just something the underdog wished for in order to survive until he gained power over everyone else. Locke, however, goes beyond this pettiness and creates a theoretical defense of toleration as an extension of his political theory. While Locke probably did not imagine the controversial issues of political debate today, the broad basis for his defense of religious toleration implicitly justifies other sorts of social toleration in the modern world.

If a state is created for the purposes and by the methods Locke suggests in his Second Treatise, then the men who consent to form such a state retain a significant negative liberty of belief and action. Any of these beliefs or actions must be tolerated by the state unless they fail Locke's criteria for religious toleration, namely, unless they are "prejudicial to other men's rights" or they "break the public peace of societies."

This Routledge edition uses the original William Popple translation of Locke's Letter (which Locke published in Latin). Locke claimed that Popple undertook this translation without his permission, though the editors in this edition question the truth of this claim. In any case, the translation is at times more "radical" than Locke's original text. Horton and Mendus have also included a collection of essays written in response to Locke's letter that examine the relationship between the Letter and the Treatises and the modern relevance of Locke's argument for toleration. The need for toleration is as great in our own time as it was in John Locke's, and his contribution to the debate is likewise as valuable now as it was then.

This is a nine volume set. The contents of the volumes are as follows:

VOLUME I.

Preface to the Works (editors).

Life of the Author (editors).

An Analysis of Mr. Locke's Doctrine of Ideas (editors).

An Essay concerning Human Understanding, to the end of Book III, Chapter VI.

VOLUME II.

An Essay concerning Human Understanding, concluded.

Defence of Mr. Locke's Opinion Concerning Personal Identity (editors).

Of the Conduct of the Understanding.

Some Thoughts concerning Reading and Study for a Gentleman.

Elements of Natural Philosophy.

A New Method of a Common-Place-Book; written originally in French, and translated into English.

Index to the Essay concerning Human Understanding.

Index to the Additional Pieces in this Volume.

VOLUME III.

A Letter to the Right Rev. Edward Lord Bishop of Worcester, concerning some Passages relating to Mr. Locke's Essay of Human Understanding, in a late Discourse of his Lordship's in Vindication of the Trinity.

Mr. Locke's Reply to the Bishop of Worcester's Answer to his letter.

An Answer to Remarks upon an Essay Concerning Human Understanding.

Mr. Locke's Reply to the Bishop of Worcester's Answer to his second Letter.

Index.

VOLUME IV.

Some Considerations of the Consequences of lowering the Interest, and raising the Value of Money. In a letter sent to a Member of Parliament, in the Year 1691.

Short Observations on a printed Paper, entitled, 'for encouraging the coining of Silver Money in England, and after, for keeping it here.'

Further Considerations concerning raising the Value of Money. Wherein Mr. Lowndes's Arguments for it, in his late Report concerning an Essay for the Amendment of the Silver Coin, are particularly examined.

Two Treatises of Government. In the former, the false Principles and Foundation of Sir Robert Filmer, and his Followers, are detected and overthrown; the latter is an Essay concerning the Original, Extent, and End of Civil Government.

Index.

VOLUME V.

A Letter concerning Toleration, being a Translation of the Epistola de Tolerantia.

A second Letter concerning Toleration.

A third Letter for Toleration: To the Author of the third Letter concerning Toleration.

A fourth Letter for Toleration.

Index.

VOLUME VI.

The Reasonableness of Christianity, as delivered in the Scriptures.

A Vindication of the Reasonableness of Christianity, from Mr. Edwards's Reflections.

A second Vindication of the Reasonableness of Christianity.

Index.

VOLUME VII.

A Paraphrase and Notes on the Epistles of St. Paul to the Galatians, I and II Corinthians, Romans, and Ephesians. To which is prefixed an Essay for the Understanding of St. Paul's Epistles, by consulting St. Paul himself.

Index.

VOLUME VIII.

Some Thoughts Concerning Education.

An Examination of P. Malebranche's Opinion of Seeing all Things in God.

A Discourse of Miracles.

Memoirs relating to the Life of Anthony, first Earl of Shaftesbury.

Some familiar Letters between Mr. Locke, and several of his Friends.

Index.

VOLUME IX.

Continuation of familiar Letters between Mr. Locke and several of his Friends.

The Dedication prefixed to 'a Collection of several Pieces of Mr. John Locke, published by Mr. Des Maizeaux.'

The Character of Mr. Locke, by Mr. Peter Coste: With a letter relating to that Character, and to the Author of it.

The fundamental Constitutions of Carolina.

A Letter from a Person of Quality to his Friend in the Country; giving an Account of the Debates and Resolutions of the House of Lords, in April and May, 1675, concerning a Bill, intitled, 'an Act to prevent the Dangers which may arise from Persons disaffected to the Government.'

Remarks upon some of Mr. Norris's Books, wherein he asserts P. Malebranche's Opinion of seeing all Things in God.

A Letter to Mr. Oldenburg, Secretary to the Royal Society.

Letters to Anthony Collins, Esq.

A Letter to the Reverend Richard King.

A Letter to *** on Dr. Pococke.

Letters to the Reverend Richard King.

Rules of a Society, which met once a Week, for their Improvement in useful Knowledge, and for the promoting of the Truth and Christian Charity.

Letters to Mrs. Cockburn.

Letter to Mr. Bold.

Letter to Mr. Clarke.

Letter from Lord Shaftesbury to Bishop Fell.

Letter from Sir Peter King to the third Earl of Shaftesbury.

Observations upon the Growth and Culture of Vines and Olives: The Production of Silk: The Preservation of Fruits. Written at the Request of the Earl of Shaftesbury; to whom they are inscribed.

A History of Navigation from its Original to the Year 1704.

A Catalogue and Character of most Books of Voyages and Travels.

Index.

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General Comments:

The books are well produced. Cloth bound, dark blue covers, with a simple and elegant design. The books come in a box, which although attractive, is not entirely practical - wedging a book out is a pain. That said, the books are handsome and will grace your library.

This is a reprint of a 1794 book. As was common at that time, an older form of the letter "s" was used for some word positions, which looks rather like a modern "f". This can take some getting used to. The first sentence of "Human Understanding", for example, looks rather like this: "SINCE it is the underftanding, that fets man above the reft of fenfible beings, and gives him all the advantage and dominion which he has over them; it is certainly a fubject, even for its noblenefs, worth our labour to inquire into."

There is little in the way of editorial commentary. What there is is noted in the table of contents. The editors did put together indices, generally one per volume (the exception is volume I, which has the first part of the Essay concerning Human Understanding, the index for the entirety of which is in volume II).

Strange as it may seem, there is no collected works for Locke more recent than 1794. If a collected works is what you want, you can get this, or wait and hope that someday modern scholars will come up with something.

Great for people of all ages who are interested in philosophy, especially those interested in debate.

In 1835, an extraordinary series of articles appeared in the New York "Sun," one of the city's newspapers. The articles told how astronomer John Herschel, with the aid of an advanced new telescope, had discovered life on earth's moon. Of course, the articles were pure fiction, and the story has become known as the Moon Hoax. The articles, written by Richard Adams Locke, were published in book form under the title "The Moon Hoax; Or, A Discovery That the Moon Has a Vast Population of Human Beings." A reproduction of an 1859 New York edition, with a new introduction by Ormond Seavey, was published by Gregg Press in 1975.

Locke's Moon Hoax is one of the most remarkable works of 19th century U.S. literature. Ormond Seavey's intro to the 1975 edition does a good job of placing the hoax in literary and cultural perspective. Seavey notes, for example, that the hoax appeared at "a time when the tall tale was first recognized as a characteristically American narrative" (p. xxiv). Seavey also makes note of the reaction of showman P.T. Barnum to the hoax, and draws a parallel between the Moon Hoax and Edgar Allan Poe's 1844 "Balloon Hoax."

The text of the hoax itself is a charming piece of literature; it could be seen as a pioneering work of science fiction. The text's flavor of authenticity is enhanced by the many technical details about the new telescope; Locke even names the glassmaking firm that allegedly created the lens for the device! Locke's descriptions of Herschel's bogus discoveries are delightful. We learn about the lunar oceans; trees; gigantic, obelisk-like amethysts; unicorn-like creatures; tailless beaver-like humanoids; and most wonderfully, "Vespertilio-homo," the winged human-like species alluded to in the book's title. "The Moon Hoax" is a marvelous book that deserves to be rediscovered by new generations of readers.

This compilation of Locke's political writings not only contains his famed second treatise, but also suplementary essays supporting his views and espousing other particulars. The book is a must for any one interested in political philosophy in the least simply because most of the ideas espoused were incorparated into the foundation of our country. The essays set up locke's basic democratic theories and his version of social contract society. the reading is mildly technical and archaic, but not too bad. an excellent start to any one interested in philosophy

John Locke was without a doubt one of the sanest and soberest souls ever to put pen to paper. Here philosopher Jonathan Lowe provides a fine and thorough introduction to Locke's greatest and most influential work: his _Essay Concerning Human Understanding_.

Lowe not only provides clear and sound explications of Locke's own views, carefully placing them into historical context, but also inquires into whether Locke's views can be defended today -- and, perhaps surprisingly, finds that many of them are defensible though perhaps in need of modification. And Lowe does not hesitate to add his own views where necessary, by way of suggesting how a modern follower of Locke might carry his philosophy forward in light of scientific developments since Locke's day.

The result is more than an introduction to Locke -- it is a scintillating volume that will be a pleasurable read even for longtime readers of Locke. Lowe has a knack for picking out the most interesting features of Locke's thought and presenting them in a new light.

For example, I was quite struck by Lowe's remarks on Locke's "particularist" (Lowe's term) view of logic. Locke, as his readers may know, was extremely critical of syllogistic formalism, holding that while reasoned arguments may indeed be put in syllogistic form, it was nevertheless ridiculous to maintain that the use of the form itself is what gives validity to an argument. As Locke famously remarked, God was not so sparing as to make men barely two-legged and leave it to Aristotle to make them rational.

Lowe trenchantly notes that Locke's critiques would apply equally well to the Frege-Russell variety of formal logic; Locke, very much like Brand Blanshard in _Reason and Analysis_, held that we reason by connecting terms through their _meanings_, which a strictly formal logic provides no way to do.

Lowe's remarks on this point are food for thought not only on the matter of formal logic but on the question of what allegedly divides "rationalism" from "empiricism." Elsewhere in this volume, Lowe suggests that the firm distinction between these allegedly opposite schools of thought cannot be made out; and Locke was quite clearly a rationalist as regards knowledge even if he believed we arrived at all of our our ideas "empirically." That is, Locke clearly still has something to say to the rationalist philosophers of our own day -- and through Lowe, he says it.

And says it well: it is very much to Lowe's credit that, through his own lucid prose, he has allowed Locke to speak so clearly. The reader of this excellent introduction will find Locke to be fine intellectual company -- and also Lowe, a clear thinker and graceful writer whose own admiration for Locke is never explicitly stated but is nevertheless obvious through the keen sympathy of his presentation.

All in all, then, a delightful volume very much in the Lockean spirit.

This is an outstanding volume from one of the most important thinkers of Western civilization. This is a bridge linking the two major classics from Locke, An Essay concerning Human Understanding and the Two Treatises of Government. In this volume, we see Locke's dependence on Stoic philosophy (especially that of Seneca) and the effect that Aristotelian philosophy had on him.

"As the Strength of the Body lies chiefly in being able to endure Hardships, so also does that of the Mind. And the great Principle and Foundation of all Vertue and Worth, is . . . That a Man is able to deny himself his own Desires, cross his own Inclinations, and purely follow what Reason directs as best, tho' that appetite lean the other way." And how does one do this? Locke's answer is through education (i.e., through habit).

Anyone wishing to understand the thought and philosophy of Locke, can not afford to ignore this volume in the corpus of Lockean writings. This edition is a very scholarly edition, there is another modern edition available as well. To bad the editors of the Clarendon Edition of the Works of John Locke are not very organized, at the rate these volumes are being produced, the complete writings will not be available during my lifetime.

The world needs a modern edition of the writings of Locke, he is too important a thinker not to have this - if nothing else, for us inspiring Lockean scholars. :o)

This book is wonder and a treasure trove of musical ideas from around the planet. For example, how many music historians are aware of how the Native Amercians used song to identify each of their tribes?
Mr. Titon has provided very interesting facts about music making from many world cultures. He has also produced a 3 CD sound compilation of musical examples for this book that is indispensible.
If you're tired of today's bland market of music that has sadly squashed historical music making of any kind, this book is an excellent journey into the world's most basic roots of song and music.