John Locke and Toleration for Atheists

Abstract

In the “Letter on Toleration” Locke claims that atheism can not be tolerated. This feature of Locke's position presents a challenge for any attempt to apply Locke's theory of toleration to contemporary cases. Locke's intolerance also needs a historical explanation. An article presents an analitycal and historcial reconstruction of Locke's theory of toleration. We show how the intolerance to atheists is grounded in Locke's writings and how it can be justifed or challenged on the basis of the arguments of his texts. We discuss contemporary readings of Locke's toleration project and show its possible or actual weaknesses. We claim that the resources of Locke's writings alone are insufficient for an interpretation. So we reconstruct a historical context of Locke's toleration project and show possible ways of explanation of his intolerance. In particular we discuss anti-atheists tracts and pamphlets, the trial of Aikenhead and religious and philosophical discussions of the late XVII century Britain. It allows us to challenge many traditional and contemporary readings of Locke's political philosophy. We argue that careful reading of the case of atheism opens new ways on Locke philosophy as well as on contemporary political discussions.