Hobbes Introduction
Thomas Hobbes 1588-1679
The World of Thomas Hobbes Hobbes was born in 1588, a year of one of the most influential events in the history of Europe:
The World of Thomas Hobbes Hobbes was born in 1588, a year of one of the most influential events in the history of Europe: the English defeat of the Spanish Armada.
The World of Thomas Hobbes Hobbes was born in 1588, a year of one of the most influential events in the history of Europe: the English defeat of the Spanish Armada. Hobbes writes Leviathan in 1651, during what major event in English history?
The World of Thomas Hobbes Hobbes was born in 1588, a year of one of the most influential events in the history of Europe: the English defeat of the Spanish Armada. Hobbes writes Leviathan in 1651, during what major event in English history? The English Civil War. And Leviathan is a clear reaction to these events of the war.
Goals of Leviathan Convince everyone to prevent future civil war by showing that it's in our interest to obey the sovereign To show that revolution is always wrong. To show that any sovereign whatsoever is better than no sovereign at all.
The First Argument of Leviathan Hobbes want to show that the state of nature is a state of war. What's the state of nature?
The First Argument of Leviathan Hobbes want to show that the state of nature is a state of war. What's the state of nature? It's any situation in which there is no government or authority that can impose order. In short, it is anarchy, the total absence of government.
Life in the State of Nature What do you think the world would be like if there were no government anywhere?
Life in the State of Nature What do you think the world would be like if there were no government anywhere? Do you agree with Hobbes that a world with no government, i.e. the state of nature, would one of constant strife, mistrust, and horror, i.e. a state of war?
Hobbes and the Road Warrior Hobbes thinks the Road Warrior is a pretty good picture of what life is like in the State of Nature. But he doesn't want to rely on gut feeling. He wants to prove it.
Three Key Ideas Hobbes has three ideas that he's going to use to prove that SoN is a SoW: Egoism Scarcity Equality
Egoism Egoism says that people are deeply selfish Strong Egoism Every human action is motived by self-interest All humans are inescapably selfish One's own welfare and survial are always one's ultimate goal. No one ever performs a truly altruistic action
Egoism Egoism says that people are deeply selfish Strong Egoism Every human action is motived by self-interest All humans are inescapably selfish One's own welfare and survial are always one's ultimate goal. No one ever performs a truly altruistic action Weak Egoism Humans are by a large self-regarding The motive to avoid death is stronger than any other, almost all of the time.
“For everyone is moved by an appetite for what is good for himself, and by an aversion for what is evil for himself, but most of all by the greatest of natural evils, which is death. This happens by a certain necessity of nature, no less than that by which a stone is carried downward.”
Scarcity The state of nature is not a state of abundance. Resources are limited in the SoN. Not everyone will get all the things that they want. Moreover, there's not enough esteme, glory, honor and reputation to go around. People want other people to think that they're awesome, the best. But not everyone can be the best.
Equality Hobbes believes that all people are created equal. This is not because Hobbes thinks we have some moral or political right to fair treatment, or justice or something like that. According to Hobbes we are all equal because...
Equality Hobbes believes that all people are created equal. This is not because Hobbes thinks we have some moral or political right to fair treatment, or justice or something like that. According to Hobbes we are all equal because... ...Anyone can kill anyone else.
Three Main Ideas The three main ideas of Hobbes are these three: Egoism Scarcity Equality These three ideas are the ideas he uses to get the rest of his ideas about the state of nature, and the ideas that he use to derive that it is a state of war.
Competition Because of these ideas, we enter competition with one another. “From this equality of ability ariseth equality of hope in the attaining of our ends. And therefore, if any two men desire the same thing, which nevertheless they cannot both enjoy, they become enemies; and in the way to their end, which is principally their own conservation, and sometimes their delectation only, endeavour to destroy or subdue one another.”
Extreme Distrust “And from hence it comes to pass that, where an invader hath no more to fear than another man’s single power, if one plant, sow, build, or possess a convenient seat, others may probably be expected to come prepared with forces united, to dispossess and deprive him, not only of the fruit of his labour, but also of his life or liberty. And the invader again is in the like danger of another.”
Anticipatory Attacks “And from this diffidence [or mistrust] of one another, there is no way for any man to secure himself so reasonable as anticipation, that is, by force or wiles to master the persons of all men he can, so long till he see no other power great enough to endanger him.”
Anticipatory attacks I have good reason to attack you before you attack me.
Anticipatory attacks I have good reason to attack you before you attack me. You have good reason to attack me before I attack you.
Anticipatory attacks I have good reason to attack you before you attack me. You have good reason to attack me before I attack you. I know that you have good reason to attack me and you know that I have good reason to attack you.
Anticipatory attacks I have good reason to attack you before you attack me. You have good reason to attack me before I attack you. I know that you have good reason to attack me and you know that I have good reason to attack you. I know that you know that I have good reason to attack you and you know that I know that you have good reason to attack me. Etcetera
Two Additional Points As if things weren't bad enough, Hobbes makes the situation worse by adding two sorts of people: people with a lust for power people with a quest for glory And, we can't tell who these people are.
That does it for Hobbes. He concludes: “Hereby it is manifest that during the time men live without a common power to keep them all in awe, they are in that condition which is called war, and such a war as is of every man against every man.”
The state of nature is a state of war! 1. Egoism (premise) 2. Scarcity (premise) 3. Equality (premise) 4. Competition (from 1, 2 and 3) 5. Mistrust (from 4) 6. Anticipatory attacks (from 5) 7. Power-lust (premise) 8. Glory-seeking (premise) 9. War of all against all (from 5, 6, 7, and 8)
Hmmm.... Are people really going to reason this way? It looks at this point like we've pretty much established Hobbes point: the state of nature is a state of war. Is Hobbes right?
"In such condition there is no place for industry, no culture of the earth, no navigation, no commodious building, no knowledge of the face of the earth, no account of time, no arts, no letters, no society, and which is worst of all, continual fear and danger of violent death, and the life of man, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.”
What's the state of nature like? The life of man is solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short. Nothing can be unjust. The notions of right and wrong, justice and injustice, have there no place. Force and fraud are in war the two cardinal virtues. There is no mine and thine distinct from physical possession. Every one has a right to everything, even to one another’s body.
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