Critically Examine Hobbess Conception of the State of Nature

Critically Examine Hobbes’s Conception of the State of Nature The concept of state of nature was developed by Hobbes in his famous work, Leviathan, in which he also set out his doctrine of the foundation of states and legitimate governments which was based on his social contract theories. Leviathan was written during the English Civil War, so much of his theory concentrates on the need for the presence of a strong central authority within society in order to avoid the evils of rebellion and civil war. Hobbes developed his state of nature by contemplating what life would be like without any governing political authority, i.e. a state of anarchy. Hobbes wrote that during the time men live without a common power to keep them all in awe,†¦show more content†¦Locke believes that reason teaches that no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty or possessions; and that transgressions of this should be punished. This view of the state of nature is partly influenced by Christian beliefs, unlike Hobbes, whose philosophy was not dep endent upon any religious ideals. Lock believed that the reason we would not harm one another is that we are all the possessions of God and do not own ourselves. Locke believed that in the state of nature men mostly kept their promises and honoured their obligations, and, though insecure, it was mostly peaceful, good, and pleasant. He quotes the American frontier and Soldania as examples of people in the state of nature, where property rights and (for the most part) peace existed. Princes are in a state of nature with regard to each other. Rome and Venice were in a state of nature shortly before they were officially founded. In any place where it is socially acceptable to oneself punish wrongdoings done against you, for example on the American frontier, people are in a state of nature. Though such places and times are insecure, violent conflicts are often ended by the forcible imposition of a just peace on evil doers, and peace is normal. Hobbess view was directly challenged in the eighteenth century by Jean-Jacques Rousseau, who claimed that Hobbes was taking socialized persons and simply imagining them living outside of the society in which theyShow MoreRelatedSummary of the Whale and the Reactor by Langdon Winner Essay3304 Words   |  14 PagesSummary of The Whale and the Reactor by Langdon Winner (pp. ix-39, 99-200). Winner states implicitly that he wishes to add his book to a surprisingly short list of works that can be characterized as philosophy of technology (which includes Marx and Heidegger). His book will deal primarily with the political and social aspects of this philosophy, pertinent since as he notes the world is changing because of tech., no longer comprised of national entities--a global economy, etc. In this contextRead More Summary of The Whale and the Reactor by Langdon Winner Essay3245 Words   |  13 Pages Summary of The Whale and the Reactor by Langdon Winner (pp. ix-39, 99-200). Winner states implicitly that he wishes to add his book to a surprisingly short list of works that can be characterized as quot;philosophy of technologyquot; (which includes Marx and Heidegger). His book will deal primarily with the political and social aspects of this philosophy, pertinent since as he notes the world is changing because of tech., no longer comprised of national entities--a global economy, etc. In this