Why Study Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau? We hold these truths to be - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Why Study Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau? We hold these truths to be self-evident Laws of Nature and Natures God We the People Justice ...the blessings of Liberty Hobbess Questions What is human
“We hold these truths to be self-evident…” “Laws of Nature and Nature’s God…” “We the People…” “Justice” “...the blessings of Liberty…”
What is human nature like? What obligations do people have? Where do our obligations come from? Why is there government? What gives a ruler the right to rule? How much power should government have?
Hobbes was an Enlightenment thinker. He thought of himself as an innovator and reformer. Why read Hobbes? Because his ideas shape much of modern thought.
Nature The Mechanical Universe Man A True Science of Human Nature Government The Social Contract
The Mechanical Universe
“Everything is either body or it is nothing”
Man
“… life is but a motion of limbs…” “All Fancies are motions within us, reliques of those made in Sense”
The Social Contract
This will be the glue that binds together isolated individuals and creates government by mutual consent.
Human Nature According to Hobbes
“…men have no pleasure, (but on the contrary, a great deal of grief), in keeping company…” In short, we don’t naturally get along very well. Because…
Aristotle: “Man is a political animal.” Hobbes: “Not so much.”
❏ Every animal has desires: things it wants to have;
things it wants to avoid. Good/bad ❏ Happiness, “felicity”, is continual success in achieving
❏ Power is the means to obtain our desires/objects of
❏ Our desires are extended through time. ❏ Our need for power extends through time ❏ Happiness, or felicity, is never permanent.
“[T]he object of man’s desire, is not to enjoy
assure forever, the way of his future desire.” Chapter XI
“...[I] put it for a general inclination of all mankind, a perpetual and restless desire for power after power, that ceaseth only in death…” Chapter XI
2 We all strive to achieve our desires.
to secure our desires over the long term.
no natural hierarchy and no natural superiority or inferiority sufficient to assure safety. What sort of social relations would result?
Life in the state
“In such a condition, there is no place for Industry; because the fruit thereof is uncertain; and consequently no Culture of the Earth; no Navigation, nor use of the commodities that may be imported by Sea, no commodious Building; no Instruments of moving, and removing such things as require much force, no Knowledge of the face of the Earth; no account of Time; no Arts; no Letters; no Society, and which is worst of all, continuall feare, and danger of violent death; And the life of man, solitary, poore, nasty, brutish and
Leviathan is the lifeblood of modern political theory, Ignatz Mouse
1.People are sufficiently mentally and physically equal that no
2.All people fear death and try to avoid it by whatever means
needed for their security for the long run.) 3.People’s concern for other people is limited, and outweighed by self-concern. 4.People use terms like good and evil to describe what they like and don’t like.
Hobbes will propose a theory of inalienable
he will justify this? Is there a way it could logically follow?