WHAT NEWTON DID FOR PHYSICS in the seven- teenth century, Locke did for philosophy. The revolution wrought by these two giants estab lished the intellectual underpinnings of the modern world.

Yet our own age has called their contributions into ques tion. While Newton's universe has come to seem unduly mech anístic, Locke has been out of favor for his wordy rhetoric, the apparent imprecision of his thought and the perceived irrele vance of his once-radical empiricism.

This fascinating guide restores an underrated thinker to his rightful place at the very center of modern philosophical enquiry. Basing his exposition upon a resourceful re-reading of An Essay concerning Human Understanding. Michael Ayers explains the historical significance of Locke's philosophical pro ject, and its continuing capacity to challenge and compel.