As a political scientist one of the most important questions to ask is‚ “What should the aim of government in society be and why?” To answer this question I will examine the perspectives of three philosophers‚ Thomas Aquinas‚ Thomas Hobbes‚ and John Locke‚ in regards to their views on government’s role and obligation in a society. To understand and define the aim of government in society the best form of government must first be defined. The best form of government will be defined using Plato’s teaching’s
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Thomas Hobbes observed the events of the Civil Wars and Glorious Revolution and spoke on the nature of man. He believed that man‚ as a rule‚ was self-involved and apt to be cruel‚ so a strong central government was necessary to reign in man’s true natures of desire‚ greed‚ and vengeance. In that vein‚ he felt that it was the obligation of the people to surrender certain rights to the will of a sovereign to ensure the well-being of society. His contemporary‚ John Locke‚ while agreeing
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externally has been questioned by philosopher. However‚ two have stood apart. Two great philosophers‚ Thomas Hobbes and John Lock‚ had two very different theories that have swung back and forth through people’s minds. Complete opposites that are grouped in one major debate that has only been named only recently‚ one that has been raging as long as humanity itself‚ Hobbes vs. Locke. Human nature in Hobbes eyes is a foul‚ corrupted thing. Like a beast‚ soiled with foul breath and a mangled appearance.
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Thomas Hobbes and John Locke both sought to explain the behavior of humans in the purest form. In comparing and contrasting their theories‚ one begins to realize the extent to which these philosophers agreed and disagreed. While Hobbes states that human nature is malicious and requires a sovereign‚ Locke explains how humans are benelovant and pastoral with no motivation to advance. In Hobbes’ theory of a natural state‚ people live with no sense of government or law‚ forcing society into chaos and
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Thomas Hobbes was an absolute monarchist that believed human beings were organisms that were in constant motion‚ and needed to have some sort of authority or restraint‚ so they could be stopped from pursuing any selfish act. In contrast to John Locke were he believed in a democratic rule and constitutes that human nature was identified by reason and tolerance. The political ideology that Hobbes obtains is precise regarding the following points: people are naturally born with rights but must give
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The idea of state of nature is well defined by both John Locke and Thomas Hobbes. Thomas Hobbes was born in 1588AD and died in 1679AD. He lived during the reign of Charles the King‚ an era when parliament was challenging the authority of the king. During this time there were a lot of civil wars in England. Because of this civil wars‚ he (Hobbes) believed that he was not born alone but had a brother-Fear. He says this because his mother gave birth to him pre-maturely as a result of fear during his
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Locke and Hobbes Thomas Hobbes and John Locke are two famous philosophers who existed during the seventeenth and eighteenth century. The two men had divergent views pertaining to the nature of man and the ideal forms of government. While both men’s ideas were proven true‚ they did reflect on their personal experiences basing on the period of times in which they existed. Their beliefs impacted on the world around them‚ and they have continued to shape governances throughout history. Though both men’s
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John Locke and Thomas Hobbes were two important philosophers from the seventeenth century. The two were born nearly 50 years apart – Hobbes in 1588 and Locke in 1632 – and yet‚ they each managed to have a major impact on their time and our own. The philosophical viewpoints of Locke and Hobbes are‚ in most cases‚ in strict opposition of each other. There are certain points at which the theories of both men collide; however‚ their synonymous beliefs are exactly the point at which their theories
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Thomas Hobbes‚ John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau are three vital political thinkers who have made a distinctive contribution and finest exemplar to the idea on state of nature and the social contract. Prior to the establishment of the social contract‚ men lived in the condition termed as the state of nature. Heywood (2013) defines state of nature as a society without the presence of any political authority and of legal checks on each individual to regulate them. These political thinkers however
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the two political philosophers Thomas Hobbes and John Locke. Thomas Hobbes was born on April 5‚ 1588 and he was best known for his work on political philosophy. His book Leviathan established the foundation for most of Western political philosophy. In Leviathan‚ Hobbes set out his doctrine of the foundations of states and legitimate governments. Much of the book demonstrates the necessity of a strong central authority to avoid chaos and disorder. Hobbes hypothesizes what life would be
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