CHARACTERISTICS
State of Nature
ANARCHY, ABSENCE OF FORMAL LAWS, AND
SECURITY.
A pre-political condition where no LIFE: "SOLITARY, POOR, NASTY, BRUTISH, AND In this situation there can be no
SHORT." morality, justice, Industry, or
government exists; is HUMAN NATURE: INHERENTLY SELF-INTERESTED
STATE OF WAR: STATE OF PERPETUAL CONFLICT civilization.
characterized by constant fear and
("BELLUM OMNIUM CONTRA OMNES" - WAR OF Every rational man should try to
danger of violent death. ALL AGAINST ALL). avoid the state of nature.
NATURAL RIGHTS (SELF-PRESERVATION)
NO MORALITY
FEAR AND INSECURITY
Transition to
HOBBES POLITICAL HOBBES ARGUES THAT THE ONLY WAY TO ESCAPE THE ANARCHY OF THE STATE OF NATURE IS THROUGH
A SOCIAL CONTRACT.
PHILOSOPHY
AGREEMENT AMONG ALL THE
RATIONAL INDIVIDUALS IN STATE OF SECOND NATURAL LAW
NATURE:
Social Contract Law 1: man seeks piece as far as he
Establish a
theory Government(sovereign)
can hope to obtain it when he can't
obtain it he seeks war.
People decide to give up all their
Natural Rights except the right to self Law 2: man is willing to achieve peace, "lay
preservation.
down his right to all things," and be content
People establish an all powerful Bring people out of
authority called "Sovereign" to control with as much freedom about other men as
and regulate their life. chaos and lawlessness you would allow other men to be against
himself.
