Locke: A Guide for the Perplexed

Locke: A Guide for the Perplexed

Locke: A Guide for the Perplexed is a clear account of Locke's philosophy, his major works and ideas. The book covers the whole range of Locke's philosophical work, offering a thematic review of his thought, together with detailed examination of his landmark text, An Essay Concerning Human Understanding . Geared towards the specific requirements of students who need to reach a sound understanding of Locke's thought, the book provides a cogent and reliable survey of his life, political context and philosophical influences, and clearly and concisely reviews the competing interpretations of the Essay. This is the ideal companion to the study of this most influential and challenging of philosophers. "Locke is one of the most perplexing if modern philosophers. Although the broad outlines of his empiricist project in the Essay are clear enough, many of the specific topics he treats there such as the source, nature, and function of ideas, the workings of language, personal identity, etc. have perplexed his readers right up to the present. It is precisely on these topics that Sheridan's clear and cogent book offers judicious and helpful guidance." - Thomas M. Lennon, University of Western Ontario, Canada Patricia Sheridan is Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Guelph, Canada. She recently edited The Philosophical Works of Catharine Trotter Cockburn (Broadview Press, 2006).