Thomas believes that rational human beings first recognize the importance of preserving life to any extent. Additionally, to achieve rationality, humans must actively seek out all that preserves life, including undertaking what is necessary for survival and happiness. Third, St. Thomas emphasizes that knowledge is “acquired by the efforts of reason” (18). In order for humans to be rational, they must embrace the desire to learn and understand God, nature, and themselves. Locke proclaims that people are rational and that all men live in a state of equality so “men are perfectly free to order their actions…in any way they like…subject only to limits set by the law of nature” (3). Therefore, to be rational in the eyes of Locke, humans must follow the law of nature, and failure to follow this natural law results in a punishment to fit the crime. These authors describe a world where rationality permits happiness and freedom, but only to the extent that it is enjoyed within the natural
Thomas believes that rational human beings first recognize the importance of preserving life to any extent. Additionally, to achieve rationality, humans must actively seek out all that preserves life, including undertaking what is necessary for survival and happiness. Third, St. Thomas emphasizes that knowledge is “acquired by the efforts of reason” (18). In order for humans to be rational, they must embrace the desire to learn and understand God, nature, and themselves. Locke proclaims that people are rational and that all men live in a state of equality so “men are perfectly free to order their actions…in any way they like…subject only to limits set by the law of nature” (3). Therefore, to be rational in the eyes of Locke, humans must follow the law of nature, and failure to follow this natural law results in a punishment to fit the crime. These authors describe a world where rationality permits happiness and freedom, but only to the extent that it is enjoyed within the natural