Preview

Locke And Hobbes

Satisfactory Essays
Open Document
Open Document
142 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Locke And Hobbes
Great job with this analysis of Locke's and Hobbes's political philosophy. You brought up a very important point regarding Locke and Hobbes understanding of the need of government and how their views are not the same. Call me a pessimist, but, I can understand what Hobbes was explaining with his "worst case scenario" kind of thinking. As I have said before, I do not think this is a good think, it just seems like the unfortunate reality. I think it is possible to be aware of the seemingly reality of the "worst case scenario" and be able to understand and practice what Locke taught. I believe that Hobbes could be considered an extremist in his views. Does this mean they are wrong? Is the truth always pleasant? Anyway, this is a great subject

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    The lack of an impartial judge is a defining characteristic of the state of nature, and this lack of a common judge can lead to confusion and violence therefore leading to the state of war. The state of nature and the state of war are not two separate concepts but the state of nature has the fundamental problem and civil government is the solution for the problems of the state of nature.…

    • 397 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Taiga

    • 1016 Words
    • 5 Pages

    TUNDRA The Tundra is the coldest of all the Biomes and being situated in the extreme north of the planet has desert like conditions. It has extremely low temperatures, poor nutrients, and short growing seasons. There is a very low precipitation of less than five inches a year which is coupled with strong, dry winds. There is a very large annual amount of snowfall in the region which surprisingly is advantageous to plant and animal life as the snow provides and insulation layer on the surface of the ground.…

    • 1016 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Locke Vs Hobbes

    • 184 Words
    • 1 Page

    Throughout history, people have debated about what government is, and what is the purpose of it. Should the government dictate people's lives and tell them what to do? Should the government be permissive and just allow the people take care of themselves and not step in? Should there be an in between? Two very influential philosophers from the 17th century Enlightenment, John Locke and Thomas Hobbes, are preeminent influences on how people see what a government is and what role it should take. They both were renowned influences in many governments, even to this day. Locke took the side that people are naturally good, and that they should rule themselves. While on the other hand, Hobbes said that humans are naturally brutish and evil,…

    • 184 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Locke and Hobbes

    • 230 Words
    • 1 Page

    How does the founders' view of power affect the framers' reactions to John Locke? According to Locke, how does man enter the political society and what is the purpose of that society? What obligations does the government have in the civil society? What obligation does the individual have? How do Hobbes and Locke differ? Do you think Americans would agree with Locke? You may read the first paragraphs of the Declaration of Independence to assist you. What evidence do you have to support your view?…

    • 230 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Many philosophers, such as John Locke and Thomas Hobbes, have discussed over the years if he human race is naturally good or evil. People than choice their side of the argument, one side believing that humans have a basically good nature that is corrupted by society, while the other side believes that humans have a bad nature that is kept in check by society. As John Locke believes that the human race is good, it is reasonable to accept as true because we are born neutral, with free will, and fear of a higher power.…

    • 577 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Lord of the Flies: Hobbes vs. Locke In the novel, Lord of The Flies by William Golding, several young boys are stranded on an island and must maintain civilization on their own with no real authority. Their attempt at maintaining a peaceful and civilized state between each other can help to explain the theories of philosophy stated by Jack Hobbes and John Locke. In Locke’s philosophy, he states that people are naturally good. He believes that is in our nature, as humans, to be good people and do what it is that we know is right and what we are told is right.…

    • 584 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Hobbes was a philosopher who saw humans as a purely physical being. He believed that all human actions can be explained through the motions in our bodies. According to Hobbes all feelings and emotions are a result of phantasms, our perception of the objects around us. This perception is a motion within our bodies and each person perceives these phantasms differently causing love, hate, desires, and what we think is good and bad. Every feeling that comes from ones perspective has a physical feeling, such as desires can cause certain pains and it is only human nature that one does whatever is needed in order to relieve those pains. Hobbes therefore sees humans as being able, by their state of nature, to take or do whatever necessary for themselves even if it shows no regard for the other people their actions may harm. This inevitably would end up in a fight for survival or “the war of all against all”. In order to prevent such a war from happening Hobbes thought it necessary that the individuals must promise each other to give up their right to govern themselves to the sovereign for the mutual benefit of the people. This sovereign then has absolute power to rule with no questions asked and not to only act on behalf of the citizens but to completely embody their will. In summation, Hobbes believed that society could only exist under power of the sovereign and that life in the state of nature is violent, short and brutish, as all men act on self-interest.…

    • 1014 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Hobbes vs Locke

    • 1466 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Both Hobbes and Locke shared similarities within their political theories; however their theories also had some major differences. Both men were responding to the crisis of the 17th century and they were highly influenced by the scientific revolution. Hobbes and Locke rejected all previous theories regarding human nature. They used the same methodology, and the men accepted an atomistic view of society. They believed that individuals were rational and were motivated by self-interest. Hobbes and Locke traced their theories from a state of nature to the social contract. They agreed that the legitimacy of the government rested on the consent of the governed. Together, both men rejected legitimate political authorities such as Divine Right of Kings, brute force, historical tradition, and feudal contracts. Both political philosophers offered interesting arguments pertaining to government, human nature, and the state of nature.…

    • 1466 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    John Locke

    • 8282 Words
    • 36 Pages

    John Locke, an Englishman who lived from 1632 to 1704, promoted some of the most influential ideas of the Enlightenment. He pioneered the idea that humans are naturally good, and are corrupted by society or government to becoming deviant. Locke described this idea in hisAn Essay Concerning Human Understanding as the tabula rasa, a Latin phrase meaning blank slate. The idea was not original to him, however. In fact, Locke directly took the idea from a Muslim philosopher from the 1100s, Ibn Tufail. In Ibn Tufails book,Hayy ibn Yaqdhan, he describes an identical idea about how humans act as a blank slate, absorbing experiences and information from their surroundings. The same idea manifests itself in the life of Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him). He stated that No child is born except on the fitra. Fitra here can be defined as the natural, pure state of a person. According to Islamic thought, all humans are born in a natural state of purity, with belief in one God, and that as they grow older, they adopt the ideas and beliefs of the people around them, particularly their parents. This is the intellectual forerunner of the tabula rasa that Locke learned from Ibn Tufail. Hb(k/LT02goUXVTUsUyTUVFUP…

    • 8282 Words
    • 36 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    In an effort to reimagine politics and diverge from the fanciful teachings of the ancients, three optimistic realists emerged to begin a philosophical revolution. The garden of modern politics was begun by Machiavelli who cleared the land of the stones of antiquated virtue and tilled the soil. Then came Hobbes, who added the fertilizer of enlightened self-interest, the water of reason, and the seeds of human nature. Finally came Locke who, upon seeing that Hobbes’ seeds had grown into weeds of despotic monarchy, ripped them from the ground and replaced them with the seeds of liberalism. What Locke viewed as weeds, Hobbes viewed as the form of government most conducive to stability and peace. Locke’s Second Treatise of Government provides an argument against absolute hereditary monarchies while exalting liberalism as the paradigm of politics.…

    • 1565 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    In the 16th and 17th people were coming over to settle in America. There was two different areas in the north and south. The north and south have a lot of similarities but have more differences. The main differences between the north and south are climate, people, and why they settled.…

    • 250 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    John locke

    • 509 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Western Civilization encompasses many new innovations, theories, and discoveries. However only the greatest people, events, and concepts of Western Civilization are still known and used today. In my opinion one of the most influential people of this time period is John Locke. Locke discovered multiple breakthroughs on natural law that still have a great impact on our modern society.…

    • 509 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The seventeenth century in England was a time of many kings. Within a century, the reigns of five kings as well as a military dictator had run rampant over England’s government. Starting with James I, the English monarchy traversed to Charles I, Oliver Cromwell, Charles II, James II, and finally William III. With the ascensions of Cromwell and William III, drastic events changed the course of England’s history, as well as influencing two famous philosophical men. Thomas Hobbes, author of Leviathan, and John Locke, author of Second Treatise on Civil Government, drew on their experiences of England’s monarchical turmoil to conceive very different political theories. Both Thomas Hobbes and John Locke were prominent political philosophers in the…

    • 967 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Machiavelli and Hobbes

    • 1493 Words
    • 6 Pages

    To be successful, one must have the appearance of virtuousness, but not necessarily be virtuous. At least, this appears to be true according to Niccolo Machiavelli's works. Machiavelli's idea of the virtuous republican citizen may be compared to Hobbes' idea of a person who properly understands the nature and basis of sovereign political power. Hobbes' ideas seem to suggest that most anyone can claim rightful authority as there is a belief in God, and one can under Hobbes, claim legitimate authority rather easily. There are few proofs. Machiavelli, on the other hand, takes a strong position and suggests specific criteria in terms of power. With Machiavelli, there is a sense of righteousness and fairness and while he does not sanction authoritarian rule to save man from himself, it is also true that Machiavelli puts a lot of faith in leaders also. In some respects, one can see that the two theorists agree yet Machiavelli's proposed Political society is more feasible thus superior to that of Hobbes.…

    • 1493 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    John Locke

    • 1121 Words
    • 5 Pages

    John Locke was born on August 29, 1632, in Warington, a village in Somerset, England. In 1646 he went to Westminster school, and in 1652 to Christ Church in Oxford. In 1659 he was elected to a senior studentship, and tutored at the college for a number of years. Still, contrary to the curriculum, he complained that he would rather be studying Descartes than Aristotle. In 1666 he declined an offer of preferment, although he thought at one time of taking up clerical work. In 1668 he was elected a fellow of the Royal Society, and in 1674 he finally graduated as a bachelor of medicine. In 1675 he was appointed to a medical studentship at the college. He owned a home in Oxford until 1684, until his studentship was taken from him by royal mandate.…

    • 1121 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays