one hand‚ Hobbes maintains that humanity’s utmost obligation is to submit oneself to the authority of the sovereign state. Thoreau‚ on the other hand‚ argues that under specific circumstances‚ it is humanity’s duty is to resist the state. This paper will argue that Hobbes does not succeed in establishing our obligation to submit to the sovereign’s authority. Instead it is Thoreau whom is correct that in certain circumstances we are obliged to resist the State. The two main issues with Hobbes’ reasoning
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something different to everyone. To Henry David Thoreau it means not being locked down to the rules of society. To be free from social slaughter of word of mouth. Free from taxes that society is forced to pay and why? Because some big shot said so? Thoreau was a man in a natural world‚ he knew true happiness‚ he didn’t care about society and class‚ never felt alone‚ he believed in an existence far different than we do‚ John Muir lived a life like Thoreau‚ and modern society is not capable of living
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Emerson’s Influence of Thoreau Amateur naturalist‚ essayist‚ lover of solitude and poet‚ Henry David Thoreau was a student and protégé of the great American philosopher and essayist Ralph Waldo Emerson. Thoreau’s construction of a cabin on Emerson’s land at Walden Pond is a fitting symbol of the intellectual debt that Thoreau owed to Emerson. In “Nature‚” Emerson wrote‚ “In the woods‚ we return to reason and faith….” However‚ it was Thoreau who took this literally and tests Emerson’s ideas about
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Walden‚ written by Henry David Thoreau is highly cyclical text in nature. This cyclical structure contributes to prominent themes in the book such as nature‚ simplicity‚ and independence‚ and enhances the motif of the individual versus society. The aim of this paper is to examine the ways in which the text is cyclical‚ and analyze how this structure supports greater themes present in Walden. Ultimately‚ the cyclicality of the text manifests itself in concepts of time and seasons‚ the rhetoric
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beauty or the landscape there is among us!” (Thoreau). In Thoreau’s essay‚ Walking‚ he explains the importance of embracing nature and all it has to offer man. Walking‚ displays the lack of attentiveness man has for nature. The beauty and lessons nature has to offer are amazing‚ but‚ instead of appreciating it‚ “we only see the flowers that are under our feet in the meadows.” (Thoreau) while there is so much more. To truly “see” this beauty‚ Thoreau emphasizes how important it is that man realizes
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In "Civil Disobedience"‚ why does Thoreau refuse to pay his poll tax? In Thoreau’s essay "Resistance to Civil Government"‚ Henry David Thoreau outlines a utopian society in which each individual would be responsible for governing himself. His opposition to a centralized government is an effort to disassociate with the American government‚ which at the time was supporting slavery and unjustly invading Mexico. While the individual rule would work well for Thoreau who is a man of conscience‚ it does
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Whether it is dependency on someone else for money‚ food‚ or clothing‚ it all creates a feeling of resentment in a person. Upon taking this into consideration‚ the ideals of individualism and self-sufficiency begin to appeal to someone. Self-sufficiency takes the weight of dependency completely off one’s shoulders and the idea of individualism takes the guilt of their shoulders as well. No longer would you need to depend on others‚ and you wouldn’t feel obliged to help other’s either. Instead you
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negative impact on people’s lives around the world and it needs to stop. A negative impact on lives can be seen as a class not reaching their potential because of a person’s point of view or beliefs. In the play‚ The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail‚ Henry David Thoreau was a spectacular teacher who believed in Transcendentalist views. Henry was to teach his students directly from the textbooks‚ but because of his views‚ he disregarded
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ed‚ and see their very existence as nothing more than antiquated customs devoid of any real meaning. While transcendentalist thinkers‚ Ralph Waldo Emerson and David Thoreau both enthusiastically venerate this notion of individualism‚ there exists a subtle difference in the application of their shared belief system. Thoreau essentially takes Emerson’s passionate credence of Individualism and brings it to its full and active fruition‚ especially as it relates to governmental resistance.
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Mike Whiteside PHI 105 2/23/13 Professor Chackal One Goal‚ Two Different Approaches Boethius: a man of of the Great Loving God‚ a positive friend‚ a benevolent senator‚ and a realistic soul. Thoreau: a man of minimalism‚ a rebel against corrupt establishments‚ a guru of nature‚ a non-violent protester‚ and a simple thinker. Both these men are common in goal but the way they went about that goal was different. They both sought to bring peace to others through philosophy‚ the study of realistic
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