Criminal Justice
We all must obey them, but why? For fear of going to jail, or being fined? Those are the individual effects of civil disobedience, but what happens what is the purpose of law in society? Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau all attempted to interpret the need for laws in society, in order to maintain the good of the whole and the individual. Each of their examination of the need for laws in society arose from the individual 's departure from the "state of nature" to community living. It is important to examine each philosopher 's idea of the "state of nature" to then understand what laws are important and why obedience is necessary.
Thomas Hobbes saw the state of nature, not as a period in history, but a rather how individuals would act in the most fundamental state, a state where there was "continual fear, and danger of violent death; and the life of man, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short." A state where the most natural condition for the human race was the pursuit of power and a constant struggle to survival. Nothing about the state of nature to Hobbes was warm and happy; rather it was a constant solitary, poor nasty brutish and short struggle to survive, where all men were equal. Equal because they all were capable of killing each other. No man would want to live in this state of nature. So therefore, man seeks to leave this state and enter governed human existence.
John Locke saw the state of nature as being almost as horrible to that of Hobbes ' but he believed that God 's law still existed and created morality for humans. In the state of nature, Locke hypothesized that all men had perfect freedom and all were equal. They also, being to the service of their creator God, had a moral obligation to protect all of mankind rather than just the protecting the liberty of oneself. The problem that occurred in Locke 's state of nature was one where every man held executive and legislative power and governs for themselves and was able to
Thomas Hobbes saw the state of nature, not as a period in history, but a rather how individuals would act in the most fundamental state, a state where there was "continual fear, and danger of violent death; and the life of man, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short." A state where the most natural condition for the human race was the pursuit of power and a constant struggle to survival. Nothing about the state of nature to Hobbes was warm and happy; rather it was a constant solitary, poor nasty brutish and short struggle to survive, where all men were equal. Equal because they all were capable of killing each other. No man would want to live in this state of nature. So therefore, man seeks to leave this state and enter governed human existence.
John Locke saw the state of nature as being almost as horrible to that of Hobbes ' but he believed that God 's law still existed and created morality for humans. In the state of nature, Locke hypothesized that all men had perfect freedom and all were equal. They also, being to the service of their creator God, had a moral obligation to protect all of mankind rather than just the protecting the liberty of oneself. The problem that occurred in Locke 's state of nature was one where every man held executive and legislative power and governs for themselves and was able to
Cited: "- Florida Department of Law Enforcement." - Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Web. 28 May 2012. . It 's the Law; Films on Demand. It 's the Law. Films on Demand. Web. 28 May 2012. "The Philosophies Of Locke And Rousseau." Essortment. Videos on Demand. Web. 28 May 2012. . "Thomas Hobbes And John Locke." Essortment. Ed. Francessa R. Salato. Demand Media. Web. 28 May 2012. .