Hobbes and Locke Paper: Social Contract Theory April 15‚ 2012 Thomas Hobbes and John Locke are two of the most influential political philosophers of the modern age. Their ideas on political philosophy‚ among other ideas‚ have helped shaped the Western World‚ as we know it. One of the most important theories that the two have both discussed‚ and written in detail on‚ is the idea of the social contract. Social Contract Theory is the view that moral and/or political duties depend on a contract that
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Hobbes‚ Locke‚ and Rousseau each have their own theories as to what the state of nature is; however‚ essentially they are trying to describe the same state of nature. Assuming that there is only one state of nature being described in different ways‚ I will attempt to put together a theory of what the state of nature is actually like based on what Hobbes‚ Locke‚ and Rousseau each has to say about it. Moreover‚ understanding the state of nature is important for figuring out what role it played in the
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Hobbes‚ Locke‚ Montesquieu‚ and Rousseau on Government Starting in the 1600s‚ European philosophers began debating the question of who should govern a nation. As the absolute rule of kings weakened‚ Enlightenment philosophers argued for different forms of democracy. Thomas Hobbes: Man of the State Locke: The Reluctant Democrat Montesquieu: The Balanced Democrat Rousseau: The Extreme Democrat Thomas Hobbes: Man of the State In 1649‚ a civil war broke out over who would rule England—Parliament or King Charles
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the argument that humans could grow and progress‚ and stated that humans could reorganize society on the grounds of equality‚ justice‚ and freedom. Thomas Hobbes‚ John Locke‚ and Jean-Jacques Rousseau were all members of The Enlightenment movement‚ and each had their own idea on how human society should be structured and run. Locke and Hobbes lived around the same time‚ and some of their political theories were the same‚ however‚ by the time Rousseau came along‚ much had changed. Born in Geneva
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Thomas Hobbes writes Leviathan to illustrate that civil peace and social unity are most successfully established through a commonwealth by a social contract. Hobbes portrays the perfect governing figure over the commonwealth to be the “Leviathan”. Throughout Leviathan he is demonstrating the necessary attributes that the perfect Leviathan would require to maintain civil peace and social unity. To understand Leviathan‚ one must understand Hobbes’ definition of the state of nature as violent‚ his
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In the Leviathan‚ Hobbes defines justice through the relationship between obligations and self-preservation. In Chapter 15‚ Hobbes responds to the Fool’s criticism on justice. In the Republic‚ Plato refutes Glaucon’s argument against a just life. Both of their respective challengers claim that people naturally prefer the unjust life in comparison to a just life. I will analyze how Hobbes and Plato responds to their corresponding critics. Through the investigation of how Hobbes and Plato interpret
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ABSTRACT In exploring the main arguments of Hobbes and Locke‚ outlining their points of convergence as well as divergence‚ this paper will argue that western democracies also known as liberal democracies can be categorized as hybrids that enlist both Hobbesian and Lockean traits. The view that Hobbes’ absolutist state is despotic‚ prone to the elements of tyranny and does not conform to democratic principles is misplaced. This paper will argue that Hobbes laid the foundations of modern day liberal
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Thomas Hobbes’ “State of Nature” argument: Morality as a prerequisite for peaceful social co-existence I have chosen to write about what Thomas Hobbes’ calls “The State of Nature” and how morality is needed in order to maintain peace among different societies. I will begin by briefly describing “The State of Nature” argument and illuminate some of the basic features within this theoretical situation. Then‚ through the use of excerpts from Hobbes’ book The Leviathan I will give specific facts
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must exist if conscience and intellect alike are not to be stunted‚ if there is to be room for healthy growth.” This quote provides a secure base for the discussion of the political thought and different principles of Thomas Hobbes and John Locke. Both of these men‚ Thomas Hobbes and John Locke‚ founded their original thoughts off of a man named William Blackstone. William Blackstone was not only a judge and professor of law‚ but he was the core originator in which all political thoughts of the Seventeenth
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and the french revolution was both john Locke and Thomas Hobbes. John Locke believed or political philosophy was the human natural rights. “Being all equal and independent‚ no one ought to harm another in
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