Thomas Hobbes

Thomas Hobbes (1588 – 1679)•Thomas Hobbes was born in London in 1588.

•He received his college education at Oxford University in England, where he studied classics.

•He was one of the founders of modern political philosophy.

•Hobbes traveled to other European countries several times to meet with scientists and so study different forms of government.

•During his time outside of England, Hobbes became interested in why people allowed themselves to be ruled and what would be the best form of government for England.

Hobbes’ Famous Writings1. The Elements of Law ( 1640 )2. De Cive ( On the citizen , 1642 )

3. Leviathan ( 1651 )

4. De Corpore ( On the Body , 1655 )

5. De Homine ( On Man, 1657 )

6. Behemoth ( 1682 )

Hobbes’ Approach to the study of politics

•As a philosopher, Hobbes based his work on macro-anthropological principle.

•By this. he meant that before we understand the nature of society, we must first adequately comprehend the nature of the human being.

Equality among med Hobbes believes that men are equal and this equality is manifested in three ways :

1. Equality in the faculties of mind and body.

2. Equality of hope in achieving goals.

3. Equality in the exercise of man’s natural right to self-preservation.

• Hobbes believes that the men are not exactly equal, but the difference are not important enough to matter.

• He refuted Aristotle’s idea that man are inherently equal.

Hobbes says: Instead of inequality, one finds a natural equality among med.

- Inequalities we find among m men are results of man’s

resourcefulness

Man as Power Seeker•Hobbes believes that man is not a God seeker as christian philosophers perceive, but a power seeker.•Man is engaged in an endless pursuit of power which end only in death.•By nature man seek to possess and enjoy power.•The primary reason is to ensure self-preservation of their lives.•Power is the tool used by men to protect their selfish interests, the most important of which is to avoid violent death.•In this way, men are able to preserve their lives.

The State of Nature

•The phrase “ State of Nature “ refers to the condition of men prior to the creation of societies.•It is the condition of the “ Men without government, and without settled social living.”•The two cardinal values of war are fraud and force.•In this condition men are not governed by rules; there is not central authority; men treat each other as threat to achieve their respective interest; and the only recourse is self-help.•Since men treat each other as enemies, there is always the tendency to engage each other in war.•In the state of nature, men are driven apart and not drawn together.•This is why the life of man in the state of nature is solitary.

THE SOCIAL CONTRACT•Through political association the danger and insecurity that exist in the state of nature will some how be lessened.

•A social contract is an agreement or covenant among men that they will transfer their natural right to preserve themselves from sovereign entity.

•The sovereign power can be one individual, an assembly, or several individuals.

Characteristics of the Social Contract

•It has to be voluntary.

•It must be mutually agreed upon.

•It involves only subject.

•It dose not require unanimity.

Leviathan»Leviathan was written during the English Civil War; much of the book is occupied with demonstrating the necessity of a strong central authority to avoid the evil of discord and civil war.»In it, he argued that people were naturally wicked and could not be trusted to govern. Therefore , Hobbes believed that an absolute monarchy – a government that gave all power to a king or queen – was best.»Beginning from a mechanistic understanding of human beings and the passions, Hobbes postulates what life would be like without government, a condition which he calls the state of nature.»In that state, each person would have a right. Or license, to everything in the world. This, Hobbes argues, would lead to a “ War of all against all “.

»The description contains what has been called one of the best known passages in English philosophy, which describes the natural state mankind would be in, were it not for political community.