Definition Of Human Nature In Hobbess Leviathan - 1191 Words

Hobbes’ conception of human nature as detailed in Leviathan is largely influenced by his first-hand experiences in 17th century England. As detailed in lecture, Hobbes’ life was characterized by constant fear, which reached its apex during the English Civil War. During the conflict, he saw a society with no clear sovereign power ripping itself apart in a state of absolute war. Published at the end of the War, Hobbes’ Leviathan details his thoughts on the importance of a clearly defined sovereign and the absolute power with which that sovereign should be instilled. His beliefs about the natural tendencies of humans drive his thesis and an analysis of his view of human nature clearly shows this; in fact, it can be shown that Hobbes tailors†¦show more content†¦Much like the animal kingdom, humankind outside of civil society is driven by the instinct to survive and the distrust of potential threats. Hobbes’ equality of humans in their ability to kill one another, as described in Chapter 13, makes even the weakest humans, who â€Å"either by secret machination, or by confederacy with others† (618) can kill the strongest, a potential threat; in other words, Hobbes sees every human in the state of nature as naturally threatening to every other human. He comments on this natural distrust in his conception of diffidence and writes that â€Å"from this diffidence of one another, there is no way for any man to secure himself †¦ till he see no other power great enough to endanger him,† (618-619). To make matters worse, Hobbes also believes that there is a natural human tendency toward glory. He writes that a natural appetite of humanity is that â€Å"[j]oy, arising from imagination of a man’s own power and ability, which is called GLORIFYING,† (595). This in itself might not appear to affect humanity negatively. However, Hobbes believes that in the state of nature, it is one of the principal causes of violence, as it makes people â€Å"pursue farther than their security requires †¦ for [their own] reputation,† (619). This, coupled with humanity’s â€Å"desire †¦ to kill, subdue, supplant, or repel the other† (610) in aShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Thomas Hobbess Claim A State of Nature Is, or Would Be, a State of War of Everyone Against Everyone.1436 Words   |  6 Pagesargues that a state of nature will eventually become a state of war of everyone against everyone. According the Hobbes, the main reason behind this change will be the harsh competition over scarce resources caused by the nature of man. Through out this essay Hobbess reasons will be explained in greater detail. In order to truly understand the logic behind Hobbess claim, we must first understand his point of view of human nature. The key element in Hobbess view on human nature was the importance ofRead More analysis Thomas Hobbes?s claim ?a state of nature is, or would be, a state of war of everyone against everyone.?1416 Words   |  6 Pagesstate of nature will eventually become a state of war of everyone against everyone. According the Hobbes, the main reason behind this change will be the harsh competition over scarce resources caused by the nature of man. Through out this essay Hobbes’s reasons will be explained in greater detail. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;In order to truly understand the logic behind Hobbes’s claim, we must first understand his point of view of human nature. The key element in Hobbes’s view on human nature was theRead MoreHobbes And The Natural State Of Nature Essay1514 Words   |  7 Pages A hallmark of Thomas Hobbes political philosophy lies in his delineations of two distinct conditions which men can reside in; the state of nature, and the commonwealth led by a sovereign, otherwise referred to as the Leviathan. In order to illustrate how the former state gives way to the latter, Hobbes constructs a perception of nature in which the lives of men are riddled with ambiguity, fear, and distrust. He proposes, then, that the optimal civil society is not constructed by embracing the naturalRead MoreHobbes And The Natural State Of Man1617 Words   |  7 Pages Thomas Hobbes was a divisive figure in his day and remains so up to today. Hobbes’s masterpiece, Leviathan, offend ed his contemporary thinkers with the implications of his view of human nature and his theology. From this pessimistic view of the natural state of man, Hobbes derives a social contract in order to avoid civil war and violence among men. Hobbes views his work as laying out the moral framework for a stable state. In reality, Hobbes was misconstruing a social contract that greatlyRead MoreHobbes, Marx, and Shah1503 Words   |  7 PagesEnlightenment was an 18th century movement in which rationality and science were placed as the number one things a human could have (Brians). The Enlightenment also propagated the idea equality and liberalism (Brians). Romanticism was an international movement which occurred after the Enlightenment during the late 1700s to the mid-1800s (Melani). It placed emotions at the forefront of human thought (Melani). Thomas Hobbes, a very early Enlightenment thinker, has a variety of ideas which do not coincideRead MoreThomas Hobbes and Modern Liberalism 1505 Words   |  7 Pagesautonomy it is easy to understand why many modern liberals would agree with Hobbes’s political philosophy. However, Thomas Hobbes does not support the concept of a democratic government, rather he supported the notion of a absolutist government up until his death. Special attention must be given to Hobbes’s denial that autonomy can be thought of, or conceived as, a form of self-government. It is important to take note that Hobbes’s argument against democracy is significantly more exhaustive than merelyRead MoreThe State Of Nature As A Free And Equal System1524 Words   |  7 PagesThe state of nature is very differential to that of feudalism which was taking place during Hobbes’s time period; this is evident in social relationships and the characteristics of human beings in each state. In feudal society the notion of equality was not present and was class based, meaning there was a social hierarchy (Weinstein, 2015) , this is r ather different to Hobbes who described the state of nature as a complete free and equal system. In feudal society there is a mutual cooperation andRead MoreThomas Hobbes: Nature and Origins of Human Thought, Emotion, and Society2678 Words   |  11 PagesHobbes used logic and reasoning to develop materialist theories – some impressively similar in nature to neurobiology. His pessimistic views of society are drawn from events in his personal life, primarily the English Civil War. During this time, the horrid events he witnessed caused him to develop a lack of faith in the nature of man. The concepts he created, as shown in Elements of Law and Leviathan due to the also relevant and applicable to current political examples. During the Age of EnlightenmentRead More Hobbes and Absolute Sovereignty Essay3649 Words   |  15 Pagesassumed that in every human society where there is a system of law there is also to be found, latent beneath the variety of political forms, in a democ racy as much as in a absolute monarchy, a simple relationship between subjects rendering habitual obedience, and a sovereign who renders obedience to none. This vertical structure, of sovereign and subjects, according to this theory, is analogous to the backbone of a man. The structure constitutes an essential part of any human society which possessesRead MoreHobbes, Locke, And Rousseau s Theory Of Government3619 Words   |  15 Pagesthat have the most developed view of human nature as it applies to government. a. Each of these philosophers has a literary work or works that look at human nature and its application to government. b. We will be examining Locke’s Second Treatise of Government, Rousseau in On the Social Contract and Discourse on the Origin of Inequality, and Hobbes’s view in Leviathan. c. The specific topics to be examined through comparison of these different works are human nature, natural law, origin and purpose