John Locke

John Locke was one of the founders of empiricism and political liberalism. He rejected the idea of innate knowledge: the mind at birth is a 'blank slate' (tabula rasa) filled by experience.

In politics, Locke justified the theory of social contract, natural human rights (life, liberty, property), and the people's right to revolt against tyranny.

His ideas influenced the American Declaration of Independence and the French Declaration of the Rights of Man.