From Isolation to Urban Cunningness: A Study of Locke's Labor Philosophy and the Influence of Environment on Cognition in Robinson Crusoe and Moll Flanders

This paper examines the transition from isolation to urban settings in Robinson Crusoe and Moll Flanders, analyzing how these shifts engage with John Locke's Labor Philosophy (Locke 1690) and influence the embodiment of cognition in their characters. Utilizing a qualitative literary analysis, this study draws on Locke’s theory of labor as a theoretical framework to explore the complex relationship between literature, philosophy, and social theory in shaping individual identities and behaviors during the 17th and 18th centuries. Key questions addressed include the impact of isolation and urbanization on labor perception, property ownership, and the embodiment of cognition within the context of socio-economic factors. The findings suggest that while Robinson Crusoe reflects a solitary, Lockean view of labor as tied to property and survival, Moll Flanders reveals the urbanization of labor practices, illustrating a more transactional approach to work and identity. This contrast illuminates significant disparities in their engagements with Locke’s concept of the "blank slate" and their approaches to labor.