hobbes and lockes view or nature of man
Natalia Stanczak
Santroni
CHY4U1-02
3/28/2014
Compare and contrast Hobbes and Locke’s view on the nature of man. Why do you think they came to the conclusions that they did?
“Man is the only creature who refuses to be what he is.”― Albert Camus. Back in the renaissance period many theorist, philosophers and brilliant men had their own view on the “nature of man”; Thomas Hobbes and John Locke were some of them. They were both brilliant men who had their own opposite views of men and the nature of men with the government. The first philosopher was named Thomas Hobbes and he wrote the social contract. His social contract talked about giving the government total power. Whereas the other philosopher named John Locke had a total different view on things. He disagreed and stated just the opposite, that men should not follow the government but rule themselves. Locke is a little more practical with his philosophy.
Hobbes believed in the monarchy over the people, he believed in the government having control. “Man is not by nature a social animal; society could not exist except by the power of the state”. This quote shows us how much Thomas was loyal to the leaders and how much he believed in the government and that they were the one and only law. He thought it would be best to have one man in total control of everything that people do. He wanted to make sure that the people have no real say in anything. Hobbes didn’t think that people were capable to governing themselves as if they didn’t know how, “no society; and which is worst of all, continual fear, and danger of violent death; and the life of man, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.” He believed that men are selfish, and would take whatever they could, and that it was all about the survival. Hobbes thought that everyone would fend for themselves and if it came a time to kill someone, they would do it, just to be in a higher or in a better position of power.
Lock on the other hand thought differently. He
Santroni
CHY4U1-02
3/28/2014
Compare and contrast Hobbes and Locke’s view on the nature of man. Why do you think they came to the conclusions that they did?
“Man is the only creature who refuses to be what he is.”― Albert Camus. Back in the renaissance period many theorist, philosophers and brilliant men had their own view on the “nature of man”; Thomas Hobbes and John Locke were some of them. They were both brilliant men who had their own opposite views of men and the nature of men with the government. The first philosopher was named Thomas Hobbes and he wrote the social contract. His social contract talked about giving the government total power. Whereas the other philosopher named John Locke had a total different view on things. He disagreed and stated just the opposite, that men should not follow the government but rule themselves. Locke is a little more practical with his philosophy.
Hobbes believed in the monarchy over the people, he believed in the government having control. “Man is not by nature a social animal; society could not exist except by the power of the state”. This quote shows us how much Thomas was loyal to the leaders and how much he believed in the government and that they were the one and only law. He thought it would be best to have one man in total control of everything that people do. He wanted to make sure that the people have no real say in anything. Hobbes didn’t think that people were capable to governing themselves as if they didn’t know how, “no society; and which is worst of all, continual fear, and danger of violent death; and the life of man, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.” He believed that men are selfish, and would take whatever they could, and that it was all about the survival. Hobbes thought that everyone would fend for themselves and if it came a time to kill someone, they would do it, just to be in a higher or in a better position of power.
Lock on the other hand thought differently. He