Thomas Hobbes
- Created by: Olivia Grace Matthews
- Created on: 17-05-16 18:58
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- Thomas Hobbes
- Human Nature. Hobbes vs Aristotle
- Aristotlelian
- Like a human organism which can be 'health' or 'flourishing' in accordance with its nature
- Polis and pursuit of 'the good life'
- 'Man is a political animal'
- Purpose of government is pursuit of virtue/good
- Aim of politics is positive and to further good
- Hobbesian
- Like a collection of atoms naturally in motion - chaotic and likely to involve collisions
- But rational because can consider how to satisfy their desires
- Leads to individualistic warring of a state of nature
- There Is competition and trust nobody
- Combine into stable sovereign
- Purpose of government is pursuit of security
- The aim of politics is negative
- Aristotlelian
- Rights and Laws of Nature
- The Right of Nature: Right of ones own self-preservation
- Do anything required for ones own preservation
- What is 'right' is not constrained by what is held to be 'good'.
- No obligation to respect others' rights of nature
- It is a natural right based on reason and shared human nature
- The Right of Nature: Right of ones own self-preservation
- The Concept of Natural Rights
- Marx and Bentham argue that there aren't any
- Negative natural right: Right not to be interfered with
- Positive natural right: Right to be provided with something eg. healthcare
- Self-preservation is our only natural right according to Hobbes
- All agree that people want to avoid their own death
- Laws of Nature
- Right of Nature should be in line with the laws of nature
- Hobbes came up with 19 laws. The first and most important being is to seek peace as far as you can
- They are moral laws, Hobbes calls them theorems of reason
- Natural Laws = Rules of conduct discoverable by every rational and self-interested individual
- Talks of God as the lawgiver but that theorems do not demand religious belief as derived from reason alone
- Natural Laws are aimed at civil peace and security
- Rights and laws of nature apply in a state of nature
- Right = Each individual is naturally free to decide what is required for their own safety
- The Law: set out rational ways to exercise that right in seeking peace
- No security as long as right of nature is unrestricted
- No justice or injustice without government
- Right of Nature should be in line with the laws of nature
- Human Nature. Hobbes vs Aristotle
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