Unlocking Curiosities: Top 12 Surprising and Fun Facts About John Locke You Never Knew!

1. Philosopher Jerry Springer

Who says philosophers can't hold court like Jerry Springer: John Locke's ideas on forgiveness inspired a riveting 2014 lecture series where Professor Martha Nussbaum of the University of Chicago expounded on topics such as anger, forgiveness, and justice in personal and political realms, all in the hallowed halls of Magdalen College, University of Oxford.
Source => philosophy.ox.ac.uk

2. Locke's Medicine Cabinet

When he wasn't busy Locke-ing down the foundations of modern philosophy, our man John had a penchant for organizing pills: John Locke, a multifaceted genius who dabbled in philosophy, medicine, science, and politics, invented a pioneering medicine cabinet that streamlined the organization and storage of medications, an innovation that remains popular in hospitals and medical facilities to this day.
Source => iep.utm.edu

Did you know Thomas Jefferson, one of America's Founding Fathers, was buried under a staggering $107,000 of personal debt? Discover how this iconic figure ended up in financial turmoil. 💸🍷📜

=> Fun Facts about Thomas-Jefferson

3. Locke of All Trades

Who knew that John Locke was a real "Locke" of all trades? Dabbling in everything from philosophy to the medical field: Locke not only philosophized but also dove into government and politics by serving as the Secretary to the Lords Proprietors of the Carolinas, helped found colonies in the region, and even penned papers on economic matters.
Source => plato.stanford.edu

4. Financial Yoda

Before banks even considered putting a gold ring on it, John Locke was already a financial Yoda, contemplating the cash galaxy's ways: He spent two decades pondering over the subtle dance between interest rates and money availability, eventually penning the influential pamphlet "Some Considerations of the consequences of the lowering of Interest, and raising the value of Money." Believing that money should be like that super reliable friend you always count on, Locke opposed having a fixed value for gold set by the authorities, advocating instead for letting the golden nugget find its own financial groove in the market.
Source => socialsciences.mcmaster.ca

5. Founding Father Whisperer

John Locke: master of keys, lord of liberty, and unwitting founding father whisperer – without even boarding the Mayflower! Who knew that the one destined to spook the spirits of revolution into the souls of American heroes would be Britain's own philosophic locksmith? Voila the plot twist: Locke's convictions on natural rights, particularly the right to property, fueled the revolutionary fires for America's independence and framed the bones of the U.S. Constitution, though he never directly poured his conceptual cement into the foundation of the founding fathers' constitutional design.
Source => mtsu.edu

6. 17th-century DJ of Liberal Thought

John Locke, the 17th-century DJ who got liberal beats bumping in the minds of revolutionaries: His philosophy on natural law and social contract laid the foundation for modern liberal thought, and his ideas were essential to the American Revolution and the creation of the U.S. Constitution.
Source => mtsu.edu

7. Cookin' Up Freedom

Can you smell what John Locke is cookin'? It's the sweet scent of freedom, baby: This philosophical rockstar's ideas on natural rights served as the spicy seasoning to the United States Declaration of Independence, sizzling with the unforgettable phrase "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."
Source => crf-usa.org

8. Nanny Locke-ar Meets Cupid

In a classic case of "Nanny Locke-ar" meets Cupid: John Locke, a pivotal philosopher, personally supervised the education of the Third Earl of Shaftesbury, facilitated the marriage of the Second Earl, and even looked after the expectant mother during her pregnancy with the future Third Earl. Oh, and all the while, he was being actively mentored and supported by Sir Ashley Cooper, who later became the Earl of Shaftesbury himself!
Source => iep.utm.edu

9. Fierce Natural Rights

Before Beyoncé reminded us that we were "flawless," John Locke was dishing on our "natural rights", which he believed were totally innate and fierce: Locke's concepts of life, liberty, and property inspired major players like the Founding Fathers of the United States, and went on to become the backbone for the American Declaration of Independence and Constitution.
Source => bl.uk

10. Party-Healer Extraordinaire

Who knew John Locke had the prescription for a good time? As a pioneer in the philosophy and medicine scene, Locke definitely knew how to cure a party of boring subjects: Turns out, he was quite the medical maestro, advocating for the use of quinine to treat malaria and even scoring an exclusive invite to the Royal Society as a fellow in 1668.
Source => bartleby.com

11. Wig Influencer & Constitution Shaper

Who knew that John Locke had a direct hand in shaping the "Land of the Free" and not just as an epic wig influencer? Hashtag founding fashionista: Locke's "Two Treatises of Government" was a significant inspiration behind the United States Constitution, playing a pivotal role in establishing the democratic principles and individual rights that Americans hold dear today.
Source => britannica.com

12. Colonial Real Estate Meddler

Instead of sipping on Carolina sweet tea or lounging on Bahamian shores, John Locke was quite the busy bee, meddling with some colonial real estate and having a nutty time: This unconventional philosopher not only helped draft the Fundamental Constitutions of Carolina as secretary to the Council of Trade and Plantations, but he was also a major investor in the Bahama Adventurers company, though he managed to keep his hands clean from any nutmeg smuggling scandals.
Source => jacobin.com