Difference Between Hobbes And Rousseau - 890 Words

Tim Adami PHIL 099: Political and Social Thought Second Essay: Prompt 2 The social contracts of Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau differ from each other due to divergent concepts of the state of nature. All three theories are therefore the products of highly differential ideas of how people instinctively behave. Hobbes, the first of these philosophers to theorize about such topics, believed that humans, while being innately equal with each other, are brutish, cruel, and power hungry. Social contracts are then made to protect oneself from the state of nature. Locke, conversely, wrote that humans are naturally predisposed to helping one another, and as such, create social contracts in order to protect one’s property and†¦show more content†¦The law of nature commands that each man be willing to pursue peace when others are willing to do the same, all the while retaining the right to continue to pursue war when others do not pursue peace. The creation of a social contract in the Hobbesian perspective , can then be justified by a need to protect oneself from the state of nature. Rather than live in the state of nature, where â€Å"there [is] no common Power to fear,† Hobbes proposes a society in which people can feel some sense of security. Fear for one’s safety is the only reason one needs to enter into the social contract. To ensure the contract is valid, society is ruled by the â€Å"Leviathan,† as there is always a â€Å"fear of not performance on either part† due to man’s innate desire to take what he wants with little disregard for others. With a larger, omnipotent power at the head to enforce the law, one does not have to fear one’s neighbor, one does not have to fear ones neighbor; one must fear only the government. To Hobbes, prior to the creation of a social contract, anything goes. A person can do whatever they want in the state of nature, but after contracts are established, people are expected to keep promises and to cooperat e with each other, while the ability to act as one pleases is impossible, stability is ensured. Moreover, Hobbes claims that people are never justified in rebelling against the government, regardless of how ineffective it is, because it is the onlyShow MoreRelatedDifference Between Hobbes And Rousseau1153 Words   |  5 Pagesthe sake of this essay, the definitions provided by Hobbes and Rousseau, on the notions of equality and inequality, as well as their views on the state of nature and the idea of a social contract will be analyzed. â€Å"Nature hath made men so equal in the faculties of body and mind as that, though there be found one man sometimes manifestly stronger in body or of quicker mind than another, yet when all is reckoned together the difference between man and man is not so considerate as that one man canRead MoreSimilarities And Differences Between Hobbes And Rousseau965 Words   |  4 PagesThis assessment is drawn from the works of Hobbes and Rousseau, whom despite addressing many of the same issues differed greatly on issues such as the state, human nature, and inequality, posing difficulty in telling who among the two represented a better view of those issues. A breakdown of the various works of both Hobbes and Rousseau will assist in examining the similarities and differences in their views on the three issues. To start with, Rousseau is of the view that human beings are not naturallyRead MoreThe Differences Between Hobbes And Rousseau s Accounts Of Freedom And Liberty Essay2057 Words   |  9 Pagesset out by Thomas Hobbes and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, writing in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, respectively. The difference between Hobbes’s and Rousseau’s accounts of freedom and liberty depends on how each theorist views society in achieving freedom, either as a positive or negative factor. The consequences of such, such as what type of political system would be best suited for a society then follow from how they see society in achieving and preserving freedom. Hobbes’ conception of genuineRead MoreRousseau s View On State Of Nature1551 Words   |  7 PagesIn Philosophy the argument of the state of nature often comes into discussion. However, two mainstream philosophers Thomas Hobbes and Jean- Jacques Rousseau have similarities, but mostly have multiple differ ent ideas on this theory. Although Hobbes makes valid points Rousseau s view on state of nature is more realistic then Hobbes. Rousseau’s view on the state of nature is interpreted as a forest, and refers to the â€Å"savage man†. He begins by explaining how he relates man to an animal he statesRead MoreHobbes And Rousseau On The Social Contract Theory1625 Words   |  7 PagesHobbes and Rousseau on the Social Contract Theory The social contract theory focuses on the origin of states and laws, and the impact of regulated communities or states on individuals. All conceptions of the social contract theory can be harmonized to the individual desire for safety or security and the demand for fulfillment through a collective agreement which transforms the human dimension into an organized society from the primordial state. Rousseau was the first philosopher to coin the socialRead MoreHobbes And Rousseau s View Of State Of Nature1486 Words   |  6 Pagestheir theories about society, chief among them Hobbes and Rousseau. Even though both philosophers saw state of nature as the phase prior to formation of societies, Hobbes saw the state of nature as a step to the better phase (a political society ruled by sovereign), while Rousseau saw it as a step to man’s misery. For Hobbes, man’s natural state is fearful and chaotic phase which create the need for an institution that provides self-protection. Ro usseau opposed Hobbes’s view of state of nature as heRead MoreComparison of Thomas Hobbes and Jean-Jacques Rousseau Essay1092 Words   |  5 Pagesguided the works of the 17th and 18th century philosophical writings of Thomas Hobbes and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Through Thomas Hobbes world-renowned publication Leviathan and Rousseau’s discourses on basic political principals and concepts, each man validated their thoughts on human nature and what is required for a successful society within their respective government confines. The distinct differences between Hobbes and Rousseau’s opinions on the natural state of man frame the argument of theRead MoreModern Practices Of Hobbes And Rousseau Core Humanities Paper No1470 Words   |  6 Pagesï ¿ ¼University of Nevada, Reno Modern Practices of Hobbes and Rousseau Core Humanities Paper No. 1 Kimberly Martin CH 202 Joe Taglieber September 22, 2015 Martin !1 ï ¿ ¼Thomas Hobbes and Jean-Jacques Rousseau were philosophers from the 16th and 17th centuries. Hobbes and Rousseau developed theories that explained the development of human nature and how men govern themselves given the circumstances around them. Thomas Hobbes and Jean-Jacques Rousseau both have become the most influential philosophers ofRead MoreIs Outsourcing A Refugee Crisis?1544 Words   |  7 Pagesthis course to a media object provided by the professor. The authors I chose to focus on are Thomas Hobbes and Jean Jacques Rousseau. From the readings â€Å"Leviathan† by Thomas Hobbes (CITE) and â€Å"Discourse on the Origin of Inequality† by Jean Jacques Rousseau (CITE), both authors have similar but yet very different viewpoints on ideas they have made. The ideas I will be comparing and contrasting between these two philosophers are their different beliefs and understandings on the state of nature and theRead MoreHuman Nature, By Jean Jacques Rousseau And Thomas Hobbes1711 Words   |  7 PagesThese constructed categories have put a label on people who do not share the same ideas as one another. These different views of human nature have come to propel change and have come to revolutionized human history. Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Michel de Montaigne, and Thomas Hobbes all differ on their ideas of human nature, but they also share common ground. For some of these men the practices of different cultures are categorized as savagery, and for others it has been viewed as noble savagery. Their ideas