...CHAP. II. the State of Nature. Sec. 4. TO understand political power right, and derive it from its original, we must consider, what state all men are naturally in, and that is, a state of perfect freedom to order their actions, and dispose of their possessions and persons, as they think fit, within the bounds of the law of nature, without asking leave, or depending upon the will of any other man. A state also of equality, wherein all the power and jurisdiction is reciprocal, no one having more than another; there being nothing more evident, than that creatures of the same species and rank, promiscuously born to all the same advantages of nature, and the use of the same faculties, should also be equal one amongst another without subordination or subjection, unless the lord and master of them all should, by any manifest declaration of his will, set one above another, and confer on him, by an evident and clear appointment, an undoubted right to dominion and sovereignty. Sec. 5. This equality of men by nature, the judicious Hooker looks upon as so evident in itself, and beyond all question, that he makes it the foundation of that obligation to mutual love amongst men, on which he builds the duties they owe one another, and from whence he derives the great maxims of justice and charity. His words are, "The like natural inducement hath brought men to know that it is no less their duty, to love others than themselves; for seeing those things which are equal, must needs all have...
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...Sample Exam Question: Why does Hobbes describe the state of nature as a state of war? Before answering the question why Hobbes describes the state of nature as a state of war it is to be clarified what is meant by those two terms. For Hobbes, as pictured in his work “Leviathan”, the “state of nature” is the condition before the foundation of the state. In this condition of anarchy, literally everybody has the freedom to do everything he wants. The state of nature is also a “condition of war a war of every one against every one” (p. 189). For Hobbes, “war” is not only the situation of actual battle, but also the immediate thread that a battle might occur (p. 186). Analyzing Hobbes’ argumentation, one can find three main reasons why the state of nature is a state of war: 1. Men are motivated to use force, 2. Literally every man is able to do so, 3. Nobody hinders them therein. As for the motivation, Hobbes identifies three main reasons to use force (p. 185): The first is “competition” to gain something that belongs to someone else – such as his wife, cattle, land, etc. The second reason is “diffidence”, or the will to violently defend something from a competitor. The third cause of quarrel is “glory”: men seek reputation and therefore fight over even the most insignificant things, such as words, a smile, etc. The second condition why Hobbes identifies the state of nature as a state of war is that men are always able to use force as a means of resolving conflict...
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...The Grapes of Wrath directed by John Ford is a 1940 film based on the Pulitzer winning novel by John Steinbeck. It tells the story of the Joads who during the Great Depression in the 1930s were run off their farm in Oklahoma. The film details their journey to California in search of work and a new beginning for their family. This paper will relate the main character Tom Joad to the philosophies of Thomas Hobbes and his theory of the state of nature and government as an artificial creation, and Jim Casy to Jean Jacques Rousseau’s theory of government and society as inhibitors of our natural freedoms. The Grapes of Wrath Tom Joad, played by Henry Fonda in the 1940 drama film Grapes of Wrath, is the main character who opens the movie returning to his home in Oklahoma after serving four years in prison for manslaughter. On the way he runs into Jim Casy, the former preacher who warns Tom that most sharecroppers have been evicted due to the effects of the depression. Once finding his family’s farm deserted, he finds them at his uncle’s farm preparing to also leave the next day for California in hopes of finding work and a brighter future. As they begin their treacherous journey across Route 66, the Joads and Casy endure many hardships. Grandpa, who didn’t want to leave his land, dies and is buried alongside the road. Then they run into a man who informs them that there is no work in California, but with not feeling they had any other options, they carry on with hope that they...
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...Hobbes looked at society not as a unit but as many individuals, he goes on to say that the single largest fear is that of a violent death which would come about from another individual. In order to avoid this, individuals will try to further their self-preservation through three methods: diffidence, competition and glory. Whereby diffidence leads to man avoiding man, the prime source of a violent death. Competition over essential resources in order to preserve ones body and glory where one will show off their strength and intellect in order to try and scare off other individuals. Hobbes says these methods rather than avoid violence, actually lead to increased violence and the individuals in such a society are trapped in a worsening spiral of...
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...Thomas Hobbes and John Locke share similar but different views in regards to the “state of nature”. They both believe that man is created equal and take the similar stance that there should be a governing body to execute laws that have been placed upon citizens. Hobbes appears to believe that if people are left to themselves, people will only think of themselves, are not trustworthy and are constantly concerned about death at the hands of others. Locke seems to believe that even though people may only be concerned about themselves, that logic keeps people from selfish behavior. Hobbes overall view in the stat of nature is that it turns in a war based on people's self centered and violent impulses. Hobbes believed that “every man is an enemy...
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...The Works of Thomas Hobbes The moral and political philosophy of Thomas Hobbes is very different from those of the ancients, specifically Aristotle. As a thinker during the Scientific Revolution, his picture of morality is framed in science. And while science is usually thought of to have no opinion about questions of right and wrong, Hobbes would argue otherwise. He wanted to move moral and political philosophy into the realm of science, where answers can—and should— come from science and reason, and away from the monopoly over human values held by religious texts. Furthermore, he called for a powerful, civil authority to combat what he called “the state of nature (Leviathan).” It may seem normal to define morality and science as entirely separate from each other, that is, to say that science can help explain why we may value certain things, but it can never determine what we should value. However, Hobbes sees an overlap between facts and values and attempts to use empirical answers to help figure out philosophical problems. This idea of applying facts to issues of good and evil rests upon the notion that questions such as “What is truly worth living for?...Or even dying for?” “What is morality?” and “What is a ‘good’ life?” have answers. Hobbes would say that they do, and with good reason. Questions like “What food is healthy?” or “What exercises are best?” are much like moral questions because it is difficult to find an exact answer due to the many different, correct...
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...What is it that binds mankind together? What force exists that can take such a diverse and unique population and subject all of said population to its will? Natural law is meant to be a standard rule which applies to the entirety of mankind and naturally such a thing (if indeed there is such a thing) has been a topic that many philosophers have discussed since the beginning and have well…naturally come to their own conclusions about. St. Thomas Aquinas, Thomas Hobbes, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau are such philosophers and have worked a great deal with this exact topic. St. Thomas Aquinas understands natural law simply as the rational participation in what he calls the eternal law (the laws of the physical world around...
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...one another and established the first sovereign states. For both theorists the period before the institution of a social contract, what they call the "state of nature", is important in understanding what form this first government took and what rights or liberties it was meant to protect. The state of nature is a time in which primitive humans roamed the earth without regard for what we now consider laws or social customs. While not a scientific study of social or biological evolution by any means, in fact both Hobbes and Rousseau admit the State of Nature may very well have never existed, it is an important concept of abstract political theory that enables us to debate the role human nature plays in the formation of governments and how these governments can better serve the people who institute them. Hobbes describes our natural state, in his treatise Leviathan, as one of equality. By this he does not mean moral or social equality, he is referring only to physical equality. He says, "Nature hath made men so equal, in the faculties of body, and mind."(Hobbes 68) He adds that on occasion one may be stronger or smarter than another, however, "when all is reckoned together, the difference between man, and man, is not as considerable as that one man can thereupon claim to himself any benefit, to which another may not pretend, as well as him."(Hobbes 68) What he means by this is that no one is safe from anyone else in the state of nature. Even if one is weaker than another, the weak...
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...Comparing Thomas Hobbes and John Locke’s views concerning what life is like in a state of nature, we can see that the two-theorist’s share opposite views in making an assumption of what the state of nature is like. Thomas Hobbes’ views include pessimistic views of nature and how its effects can influence man to selfishly consider what he would need to do to secure his safety while John Locke presents a natural concept that assumes there is a universal thought of good that man is aware of. Attempting to justify the role of government or justice by understanding the state of nature can be somewhat accurate and can be considered for such purposes, but may fail to answer some aspects of society overall and leave other things unanswered. In regards...
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...representatives presenting the problems of the common person would prevent a king from being unfair and cruel. Hobbes originates the phrase 'Voice of the people' meaning one person could be chosen to represent a group with similar views. Legitimacy of government Hobbes was a dedicated materialist. The views that got him in trouble were related to this, as Hobbes claimed to believe in God, but believed that since only the material universe existed, God must be a material being, just one with great powers. Hobbes sought legitimacy for government not founded in religion, because his sort of religion wasn't what most Christians would regard as Christianity. He also saw that a new source of legitimacy for the state was needed, because kings and priests had been working very hard at...
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...Social contract theory is a philosophical account of the origins of the state and the relationship between the individual and the state. It refers to an agreement between individuals, in which they abandon a part of their freedom (or natural rights) in exchange for laws guaranteeing an organized society. The concept of a social contract appears early in the writings of Plato; nevertheless, the major theorists of this concept are credited to Thomas Hobbes, John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. This essay will assess the meaning of the social contract through an analysis of their theories. Hobbes describes his conception of the social contract in his book Leviathan whereby he begins describing an account of men in the state of nature. In this state, men strive for power, are relatively equal and fight for scare resources (Wolff 2006). Therefore, from theses assumption of equality, scarcity and uncertainty, Hobbes theorized the creation of a state, which could ensure peace and security by commanding people (M.Rosen and J.Wolff 1999). That is why the social contract should be a “contract of submission”, which means that the only way to maintain the security is to completely submit to a sovereign authority. This contract is characterised by two fundamental features, which are a complete submission and an absolute power (J.Hampton 2013). Hobbes argues, only a powerful sovereign can maintain social stability: “Without the sword, contracts are only words" (Leviathan 1651). The result...
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...In this paper I will argue when is acceptable or not to kill an animal in John Locke’s point of view. In the Second Treatise of Government, John Locke explores and uses the “state of nature” that describes a natural condition of mankind, is a state of equality in which no one has power over another, and all are free to do as they please. For Locke the starting point of a state nature finds humans with the same sort of liberty, natural rights which God given. Locke starts talking about the three laws of nature, harm no one, preserve all, and destroy dangers. In the first law, talks about the idea we have of ourselves, how all mankind is equal to each other. God gave everything to mankind in common, such an arrangement could only benefit humankind individuals could use those resources to benefit themselves. God has given the land to the mankind to assure everyone a private property. Since animals could be useful to...
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...Book 4 engages in debunking false religious beliefs and arguing that the political implementation of the leviathanic state is necessary to achieve a secure christians commonwealth. Hobbes’s philosophical method in leviathan is modeled after a geometric proof, founded upon first principles and established definitions, and in which each step of argument makes conclusions based upon the previous step. The second Treatise consists of a short preface and nineteen chapters, In chapter 1 locke defines political power as the right to make laws for the protection and regulation of property. In locke’s eye these laws only work because the people accept them and because they are good for the public. In chapter 2...
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...He had an optimistic view of the nature of mankind. He believed that all humans had three essential rights that were bestowed upon them at birth; life, liberty and, property. According to John Locke, the best type of government was one that does not have an absolute monarchy, but does have limited power that is controlled and preferred by all citizens. Karl Marx (1818-1883) the more revolutionary philosopher, had the more radical ideas about what the social contract should be. Marx’s published the Communist Manifesto in 1848. He introduced the idea of Communism describing it as a kind of socialism. He believed that there would be a conflict between the different social classes that would eventually forge a classless society where all citizens would be equal. Per Marx, if society...
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...Contract Theory? The concept of social contract theory is that in the beginning man lived in the state of nature. They had no government and there was no law to regulate them. There were hardships and oppression on the sections of the society. To overcome from these hardships they entered into two agreements which are:1. “Pactum Unionis”; and 2. “Pactum Subjectionis”. By the first pact of unionis, people sought protection of their lives and property. As, a result of it a society was formed where people undertook to respect each other and live in peace and harmony. By the second pact of subjectionis, people united together and pledged to obey an authority and surrendered the whole or part of their freedom and rights to an authority. The authority guaranteed everyone protection of life, property and to a certain extent liberty. Thus, they must agree to establish society by collectively and reciprocally renouncing the rights they had against one another in the State of Nature and they must imbue some one person or assembly of persons with the authority and power to enforce the initial contract. In other words, to ensure their escape from the State of Nature, they must both agree to live together under common laws, and create an enforcement mechanism for the social contract and the laws that constitute it. Thus, the authority or the government or the sovereign or the state came into being because of the two agreements. Analysis of the theory of Social Contract by...
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