Customer Reviews

The Philosophy of Thomas Jefferson

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a scholarly and well-documented look at the contents and sources of Jefferson's beliefs in Deism, natural law, teachings of Jesus, and Stoic and Epicurean philosophy. Notable topics include: (1) Koch disputing noted Jefferson scholar Gilbert Chinard's claim that Jefferson turned from the Stoics to Epicurus by arguing that the two philosophies are not incompatible. (2) Jefferson's belief that morality lay in the motives and intentions behind actions: "how" and "why" something done is being as important as "what" is done. Koch claims this is why he turned from ancient philosophers to moral teachings of Jesus. (3) Jefferson's belief in the innate moral sense: where he acquired the belief, how he extended it by adding the pursuit of happiness, and what he thought was the best expression of the moral sense. (4) How Jefferson derived his ideas about natural rights from the moral sense theory of Lord Kames and how he applied it in political philosophy to develop ideas about political rights and majority rule. (5) Sources of Jefferson's Deism and an evaluation of whether his views were closest to the English or the French Deists.

Professor Koch performs a valuable service in this book. She shows how Thomas Jefferson had a coherent philosophy in contrast to those who maintain that he was devoid of one. Koch relates how Jefferson studied religion, republicanism, natural rights, philology, ideology, education, philosophy, etc. She shows how Jefferson had voracious appetite for learning not just what we do, but why. He was a student of Bacon,Locke, and a later follower of De Tracy, Stewart, and Say. Koch shhows Jefferson's belief in human progress and improvability were cornerstones of Jefferson's belief system. Overall a wonderful book.