Thomas Hobbes

End-Game question:  What are the legitimate rights of Government?

First half:  A Rational Argument for the organisation of Government. 

Background - After the death of his father, Thomas Hobbes was taken in and raised by his wealthy uncle.  Recognising the intelligence of his nephew, Hobbes’ uncle afforded him the opportunity to earn an education.  After receiving his B.Arts degree, he  became a tutor to the son of the Earl of Devonshire, his relationship with nobility was cemented there.  Growing tensions between the King of England and the Parliament at the time is offered by historians as the motivation for Hobbes’ greatest Philosophical work “Leviathan”.  In it,  Hobbes makes a brilliant, rational argument in an attempt to justify the position and legitimate right of a king to rule.  He is able to do that by rationally considering the “nature of man”, how the said nature of man would influence the “state of nature” and what that would naturally lead to. 

Text:  Paraphrased SELECTIONS FROM THE LEVIATHAN

Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) (Primary Source)

Human Equality:

Nature has made men so equal, in the faculties of the body and mind; as that though there be found one man sometimes manifestly stronger in body, or of quicker mind than another, yet when all is reckoned together, the difference between man and man, is not so considerable. . .

For such is the nature of men, that howsoever they may acknowledge many others to be more witty, or more eloquent, or more learned; yet they will hardly believe there be many so wise as themselves. . . .

All men are governed by their aversions (fears) and desires.

The State of  Nature                     

From this equality of ability, arises equality of hope in the attaining of our ends. And therefore if any two men desire the same thing, which nevertheless they cannot both enjoy, they become enemies. . . .

Hereby it is manifest, that during the time men live without a common power to keep them all in awe, they are in that condition which is called war; and such a war, as is of every man, against every man. For war consists not in battle only, or the act of fighting, but in a tract of time, wherein the will to contend by battle is sufficiently known.

In such condition there is no place for industry [meaning productive labor, not .industry. in modern sense of factories], 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 knowledge of the face of the earth; no account of time; no arts; no letters; 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.

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION/NOTES

1.  In what way does Hobbes think that all men are equal? 

2.  What does Hobbes say about what motivates or discourages man in his natural state?  Is man rational, is he moral or amoral?

3.  How does the nature of man impact the lives of men?

4.  If the nature of man is the way Hobbes argues it is, what would the state of nature be like?