The influence of classical Stoicism on John Locke’s theory of self-ownership
Date
2021
Authors
Hill, L.
Nidumolu, P.
Editors
Advisors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Type:
Journal article
Citation
History of the Human Sciences, 2021; 34(3-4):3-24
Statement of Responsibility
Lisa Hill, Prasanna Nidumolu
Conference Name
Abstract
The most important parent of the idea of property in the person (self-ownership) is undoubtedly John Locke. In this article, we argue that the origins of this idea can be traced back as far as the third century BCE, to classical Stoicism. Stoic cosmopolitanism, with its insistence on impartiality and the moral equality of all persons, lays the foundation for the idea of self-ownership, which is then given support in the doctrine of oikeiosis and the corresponding belief that nature had made all human beings equal, self-preserving, and self-regarding. On the Stoic account, self-ownership (or our preferred term self-guardianship) is a natural correlate and consequence of oikeiosis, the natural urge to self-preservation, proprioception, and the individuation that came with it. In recognising that people are separate and individual, and entrusting each individual’s welfare to herself, Zeus appears to make everyone a ‘self-guardian’. We uniquely argue that Locke was directly inspired by these Stoic ideas, which he then develops and incorporates into his own theory.
School/Discipline
Dissertation Note
Provenance
Description
Access Status
Rights
© The Author(s) 2020 Article reuse guidelines: sagepub.com/journals-permissions