The Natural State Of Man - 910 Words

The natural state of man has been a reoccurring theme when reviewing the history of political philosophy and theory. This study has helped societies develop laws and common goals. Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) theory is still strikingly relevant in today’s law and order. His main concern was how people lived: how to avoid war since people lived in defensive fear. Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) challenged Hobbes’s philosophy. He says, â€Å"The passage from the state of nature to the civil state produces a very remarkable change in man, by substituting justice for instinct in his conduct.† In other words, he thought that men were good by nature and when exposed to society they are corrupted. Although both philosophers study the course of society, they have very divergent views. This paper will examine both theories of the social contract. Thus, I will later conclude why Hobbes has a more feasible hypothesis. In Leviathan chapter 12, Hobbes describes society and the state of nature as such; 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. People are encouraged to act freely, but with precautions as they may pose a threat to others’ survival. As stated above, humankind is constantly threatened since we naturally have a built in defensive mechanism. He says, â€Å"†¦the passions that incline men to peace are: fear of death; desire of such things as are necessary toShow MoreRelatedThe Natural State Of Man2222 Words   |  9 Pagesargues that man has both moral and immoral qualities, but will lean towards his own self-interests when all things are equal—This leads to man being unpredictable. Pizan argues that as humans we are vulnerable within a society, and that there needs to be justice and the rule of law within society—This sense of vulnerabili ty she discovers in herself led to this conclusion. Both Hobbes and Machiavelli showcase similar arguments about the natural state of man and how inherently evil man is in the absenceRead MoreHobbes And The Natural State Of Man1617 Words   |  7 Pagesview of human nature and his theology. From this pessimistic view of the natural state of man, Hobbes derives a social contract in order to avoid civil war and violence among men. Hobbes views his work as laying out the moral framework for a stable state. In reality, Hobbes was misconstruing a social contract that greatly benefited the state based on a misunderstanding of civil society and the nature and morality of man. In order to analyze Hobbes’s work of moral and political philosophy, oneRead MoreLocke And Rousseau s Natural State Of Nature1252 Words   |  6 PagesBoth Locke and Rousseau describe the natural state of man as being innately free, although their opinions on freedom differ. In Second Treatise of Government, Locke depicts man as being naturally free because he believes that, in nature, we are able to do as we please and every person is equal. Rousseau describes the natural man as being free from the corruption and desires that society forces onto man. Locke and Rousseau agree that the best state is the freest, and that the purpose of a social contractRead MoreJean-Jacques Rousseau and The Essence of Human Nature Essay1449 Words   |  6 PagesRousseau starts his discourse with the quote, â€Å"What is natural has to be investigated not in beings that are depraved, but in those that are good according to nature† (Aristotle. Politics. II). It is this idea that Rousseau uses to define his second discourse. Rousseau begins his story of human nature by â€Å"setting aside all the facts† (132). Rousseau believes the facts of the natural state of humanity are not necessary to determine the natural essence of human nature, and adding facts based on man’sRead MoreComparison Of Cannibals And The Tempest1512 Words   |  7 Pagesshow, when man is left alone in a natural state, humans grow to perfection, compared to the state of a civilized man whom is corrupt and alters human nature to an animalistic form. The tempest portrays human beings in a civilized state, whom the characters do inhuman acts for material gain and Micheal de Montaigne’s â€Å" of Cannibals† represent man in a natural state whom when left untouched grows to an paragon society. Yet, which is better? a man in a natural state or a man in a civilized state. ThroughRead MoreCompare and Contrast John Locke and Thomas Hobbes1028 Words   |  5 PagesMan: The Social Animal Brian Greaney Political Science 230 Prof. T. Mullins April 18, 2011 John Locke and Thomas Hobbes were two main political philosophers during the seventeenth century. Hobbes is largely known for his writing of the â€Å"Leviathan†, and Locke for authoring An Essay Concerning Human Understanding. Included in their essays, both men discuss the purpose and structure of government, natural law, and the characteristics of man in and out of the state of nature. The two mensRead MoreRousseau’s Natural Man Favors his Sustenance Essay713 Words   |  3 PagesJean-Jacques Rousseau’s natural man is a creature characterized by self-pity and self-preservation. Rousseau speaks towards his natural man’s kind and virtuous being, but also makes mention of his need for survival. While Rousseau expresses a clear and firm sensitivity toward animals in his text, in his Second Discourse he does not make a solid case for vegetarianism. Rousseau begins his discourse through a conceit regarding the difficulty of reconstructing the primitive man faultlessly. Much likeRead MoreEssay on The Natural Ways of Locke, Hobbes, and Rousseau1207 Words   |  5 Pagesseventeenth and eighteenth century, that John Locke, Thomas Hobbes, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau introduce their varying opinions surrounding man in nature. The western philosophers mainly concern themselves with the concept of the social contract. Rousseau, Hobbes, and Locke begin with the conception of the individual, because in the natural state, they all believe that man is an independent character. Each of the philosophers used their revolutionary concepts to challenge power, yet their arguments differRead MoreJohn Locke : The Limitations Of Government And The Natural State1475 Words   |  6 Pages John Locke: The Limitations of Government and the Natural State Brandon Lee 10/31/17 Outline Submit for: Political Theory (Govt 251) Fall 2017 Professor Lindskog I. John Locke had been influential in the American governmental system. His ideas outlined in the Second Treatise on Government, dramatically influenced the America revolution and the formation of the United States Declaration of Independence. Modern democracy can thank Locke for his ideas on equal rights, separationRead MoreEssay on Rousseaus Philosophy in Mary Shelleys Frankenstein1262 Words   |  6 PagesIn Mary Shelleys Frankenstein, the titular character states that If [mans] impulses were confined to hunger, thirst and desire, [he] might nearly be free (Shelley, 97). With this assertion, Victor imparts his belief that man is most content in the state of nature; a state where only his most primal needs must be fulfilled in order to be satisfied. Man in his natural state is the central topic in Jean-Jacques Rousseaus philosophic essay A Discourse on Inequality, an academic work that had tremendous