Thomas Jefferson was actually a new kind of man. He was fluent in five languages and able to read two others. He wrote, over the course of his life, over sixteen-thousand letters. He was a lawyer, agronomist, musician, scientist, philosopher, author, architect, inventor, and statesman. He did not depart from his homeland until adulthood; still, he acquired an education superior to Europe’s finest.
The Constitution was shaped by the influences of Enlightenment era philosophy and republican ideology—and the underpinnings of Mr. Jefferson’s ideas regarding the rights of Humans.
Mr. Jefferson chose his words carefully. Rather than creating a controversy on which good and decent people might differ, his Declaration is put into words in such a way as to do no more than a natural scientist would do in reporting the causes of any physical event.“When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.”
The issue, as conveyed, is not one of interpretation, but of observation. In other words, Human events compelled the separation and respect for humankind entailed an explanation.
Mr. Jefferson was very much influenced by the father of liberalism, Mr. Locke—He wrote: "Bacon, Locke and Newton...I consider them as the three greatest men that have ever lived, without any exception, and as having laid the foundation of those superstructures which have been raised in the Physical and Moral sciences."
Mr. Locke concluded that Human Nature is inclined to give preferentiality to Reason and tolerance; he also believed that Human Nature allowed Humans to be selfish. In a natural state all Humans are equal and independent, and that each Human Being had a natural Right to defend their “Life, Health, Liberty, or Possessions".
This became the basis for the phrase in Mr. Jefferson’s Declaration: "Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” And these ideas are foundation of the Bill of Rights; which, is the heart of the Constitution and the basis of the separation of powers.
T Kosciuszko
Liberty, Imagination and Reason, are the foundation, of Mr. Jefferson’s romantic ideal, of ennobling humanity—ideas to fulfill Humanity—free Imagination, eternally unfulfilled; limitlessly—imagining...
Site Information
About Us
- RonPaulForums.com is an independent grassroots outfit not officially connected to Ron Paul but dedicated to his mission. For more information see our Mission Statement.
Connect With Us