Enlightenment Salon: Thomas Hobbes
Biographical Info:
Name: Thomas Hobbes
Birth/Death: **Malmesbury**, (5 April 1588 – 4 December 1679)
Famous work: “Leviathan”
Thomas Hobbes is a very important thinker because he had a very different view than most of the other enlightment thinkers. Unlike
1. The Nature of Man – Hobbes’ thoughts: “I mean those qualities of mankind which are concerned with their living together in peace and unity. Desire of power tends to produce strife; other desires, as for ease, or for knowledge, incline men to obey a common power. To receive benefits, or to do injuries, greater than can be repaid or expiated, tends to make us hate the benefactor or the injured party.”
“Of all invention, the most notable is that of speech, names, the register of thoughts; which are notes for remembrance, or signs, for transference.”
“In animals there are two sorts of motions--vital and voluntary. The beginings of motion within man are called 'endeavour.' Appetite is a motion towards; aversion a motion from-wards. Some are born in us, some are products of experience. The object of a man's appetite he calls 'good'; of his aversion, 'evil'; whether in promise (beautiful and ugly), in effect (pleasant, painful), or as means (useful, hurtful). Pleasures and pains arise from an object present, of the senses; or in expectation, of the mind. Thus 'pity' is the imagining of a like calamity befalling oneself.”
"Thomas Hobbes on the Nature of Man." Read Books Online Free - Romance Novels Online. Web. Sept. 2011. http://www.publicbookshelf.com/public_html/Outline_of_Great_Books_Volume_I/thomashob_bgc.html.
The quote above, in a more literal form, states that animals rely on instinct. They follow their instincts to survive, thus survival is the most important thing. However, man on the other hand, act upon “endeavour.” The meaning of this is presumed to be that man’s actions are so dictated by his desires and dislikes. So called “appetite” and “aversion.” Man automatically classifies things that he desires as “good,” whereas the things that are of his “aversion,” he classifies as “bad.” This is a point that separates animals from man, therefore it is part of what Hobbes regards as the “nature of man.”
"Leviathan" -Thomas Hobbes
2. The Best form of Government:
“Even though he was for a social contract, he was still a big proponent of absolutism and monarchy, but he believed in many liberal thoughts such as individual rights and equality amongst all men. Even though many of his opinions may have been contradictory, he claimed that together, they would help to form the perfect society.”
According to Hobbes, one of the most important functions of a government is to curb the greed and evil in the people. And, that an absolute monarch was needed to control the masses, so that circumstances would not fall to chaos. He believed that the core nature of man was based on selfishness, to constantly strive to elevate one's own position in society. That was why he disagreed with the idea of a democracy, saying that society would fall to ruin if the people were able to vote for their leader because everyone would be trying to fulfill their own desires. Basically, the "Best for of Government" in the opinion of Hobbes, would closely resemble an Absolute Monarchy.
The form of government favored by Thomas Hobbes was one of his own creation, a Hobbesian commonwealth. This type of government is outlined in Hobbes' most famous work, the "Leviathan." "Leviathan" portrays a nation as a single organism, a monster (the word "leviathan" means 'sea monster' in Hebrew, with references from the Bible). The King would be the head of the monster, while the other factions of society would be akin to the organs of the monster.
3. View on Human Rights
"Nature hath made men (and / or women) so equal in the faculties of the body and mind, as that though there be found one man (or woman) sometimes manifestly stronger in body or of quicker mind than another, yet when all is reckoned together the difference between man (or woman) and man (or woman) is not so considerable as that one man (or woman) can thereupon claim to himself (or herself) any benefit to which another may not pretend as well as he (or she)..." Thomas Hobbes
The essential natural human right is to preserve his own life. A man's life consists entirely of liberties, not only laws. As long as there is natural right, there can be no security because nature is what allows men to live. A world of chaos in which there is a goal of killing others to stay alive, was not wanted. If peace was wanted, humans would have to give up most natural rights to create a civil society. Human nature is to seek to maximize well being. Rights come before laws, and people will not obey the laws of nature without being subjected to an independent power. Thomas Hobbes believed that rights came before obligations, which changed the idea of the classical law to modern natural rights.
"Natural and legal rights - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Sept. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural
_and_legal_rights#Thomas_Hobbes>.
In other words, Thomas Hobbes believed that humans are full of greed. The government needs to control the selfishness of people, or else everything would turn very chaotic. If there was a democracy, people would not be able to control themselves and would try to help only themselves, rather than the good of the society. He thought that people needed to make a choice of freedom or peace; that humans should voluntarily give up their own rights to create a peaceful society rather than one full of greed.
4. Views on Religion in Society
"The last crucial aspect of Hobbes's political philosophy is his treatment of religion. Hobbes progressively expands his discussion of Christian religion in each revision of his political philosophy, until it comes in Leviathan to comprise roughly half the book. There is no settled consensus on how Hobbes understands the significance of religion within his political theory. Some commentators have argued that Hobbes is trying to demonstrate to his readers the compatibility of his political theory with core Christian commitments, since it may seem that Christians' religious duties forbid their affording the sort of absolute obedience to their governors which Hobbes's theory requires of them. Others have doubted the sincerity of his professed Christianity, arguing that by the use of irony or other subtle rhetorical devices, Hobbes sought to undermine his readers' religious beliefs. Howsoever his intentions are properly understood, Hobbes's obvious concern with the power of religious belief is a fact that interpreters of his political philosophy must seek to explain." http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/hobbes-moral/#RelSocIns
In Hobbes' book, Leviathan, it is clear that he stresses the importance of religion in society by adjusting his theory so that it fit into the requirements of Christion religion. Hobbes himself apparently claimed to be a Christian, and although many points in politics do not coincide with Christian beliefs, Hobbes tries to make the two work together. The evidence above shows that religion was important to Hobbes, because as mentioned, he devoted roughly half the book to the discussion of Christion religion and politics. I think that this is proof enough to the claim that yes, Hobbes was a devout Christian, and viewed religion as something fundamentally important.
5. The Perfect Society Leviathan states that civil peace and social unity work best by the establishment of a commonwealth through social contract. In the summary of his book, it says that Hobbes's ideal commonwealth is ruled by a sovereign power responsible for protecting the security of the commonwealth and granted absolute authority to ensure the common defense. http://www.sparknotes.com/philosophy/leviathan/summary.html
6. Thoughts on Modern Society
The societal structure in 1651, when Hobbes wrote Leviathan, was when Hobbes' ideal society was a reality, but the modern world probably would not work out if a soverignty like the one Hobbes suggested was used. The reason why a Hobbseian commonwealth is not going to work is that people would rebel eventually because it's impossible to live a good life with absoulute monarchy and a ruler who controled everything. As the article said, "His supreme ruler mentality and his reluctance to sometimes live by natural law would lead to the downfall and misery of his society and its citizens." If he was still alive, he wouldn't be impressed with the results the world turned to today. http://www.squidoo.com/thomas-hobbes
Thomas Hobbes: Notes on Philosophy
- “primal certainty.” used motion as the basis for his philosophy of nature, mind and society.
- Philosophical Rudiments concerning Government and Society. book = highly controversial, criticized by both sides of the English civil war in 1642
- In his book -> supported King over government, yet denied the King his divine right.
- Leviathan published in 1651, described the state as an organism, compare parts of the state to parts of the human body. This creature was dubbed “Leviathan”
- All acts are ultimately self-serving, even benevolent acts are selfish, in a state of nature, if/when there were no government/laws, people would act completely selfishly/only for themselves
- All humans are equal physically and mentally = causes conflict
- 3 reasons ppl fight: 1. Material goods 2. Distrust of each other 3. Glory of power
- Humans are in a state of perpetual conflict/war, fear, no morality.
- Morality = laws of Nature, deductively derived from geometry, the contracts necessary to keep peace:
- 15 laws of nature derived from 5 basic principals:
- (1) that human beings pursue only their own self-interest
http://www.historyguide.org/intellect/hobbes.html
Enlightenment Salon: Thomas Hobbes
Biographical Info:
Name: Thomas Hobbes
Birth/Death: **Malmesbury**, (5 April 1588 – 4 December 1679)
Famous work: “Leviathan”
Thomas Hobbes is a very important thinker because he had a very different view than most of the other enlightment thinkers. Unlike
1. The Nature of Man – Hobbes’ thoughts:
“I mean those qualities of mankind which are concerned with their living together in peace and unity. Desire of power tends to produce strife; other desires, as for ease, or for knowledge, incline men to obey a common power. To receive benefits, or to do injuries, greater than can be repaid or expiated, tends to make us hate the benefactor or the injured party.”
“Of all invention, the most notable is that of speech, names, the register of thoughts; which are notes for remembrance, or signs, for transference.”
“In animals there are two sorts of motions--vital and voluntary. The beginings of motion within man are called 'endeavour.' Appetite is a motion towards; aversion a motion from-wards. Some are born in us, some are products of experience. The object of a man's appetite he calls 'good'; of his aversion, 'evil'; whether in promise (beautiful and ugly), in effect (pleasant, painful), or as means (useful, hurtful). Pleasures and pains arise from an object present, of the senses; or in expectation, of the mind. Thus 'pity' is the imagining of a like calamity befalling oneself.”
"Thomas Hobbes on the Nature of Man." Read Books Online Free - Romance Novels Online. Web. Sept. 2011. http://www.publicbookshelf.com/public_html/Outline_of_Great_Books_Volume_I/thomashob_bgc.html.
The quote above, in a more literal form, states that animals rely on instinct. They follow their instincts to survive, thus survival is the most important thing. However, man on the other hand, act upon “endeavour.” The meaning of this is presumed to be that man’s actions are so dictated by his desires and dislikes. So called “appetite” and “aversion.” Man automatically classifies things that he desires as “good,” whereas the things that are of his “aversion,” he classifies as “bad.” This is a point that separates animals from man, therefore it is part of what Hobbes regards as the “nature of man.”
2. The Best form of Government:
“Even though he was for a social contract, he was still a big proponent of absolutism and monarchy, but he believed in many liberal thoughts such as individual rights and equality amongst all men. Even though many of his opinions may have been contradictory, he claimed that together, they would help to form the perfect society.”
According to Hobbes, one of the most important functions of a government is to curb the greed and evil in the people. And, that an absolute monarch was needed to control the masses, so that circumstances would not fall to chaos. He believed that the core nature of man was based on selfishness, to constantly strive to elevate one's own position in society. That was why he disagreed with the idea of a democracy, saying that society would fall to ruin if the people were able to vote for their leader because everyone would be trying to fulfill their own desires. Basically, the "Best for of Government" in the opinion of Hobbes, would closely resemble an Absolute Monarchy.
The form of government favored by Thomas Hobbes was one of his own creation, a Hobbesian commonwealth. This type of government is outlined in Hobbes' most famous work, the "Leviathan." "Leviathan" portrays a nation as a single organism, a monster (the word "leviathan" means 'sea monster' in Hebrew, with references from the Bible). The King would be the head of the monster, while the other factions of society would be akin to the organs of the monster.
"Thomas Hobbes : A Short Biography." Rich Geib's Humble Outpost in Cyberspace. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Sept. 2011. <http://www.rjgeib.com/thoughts/nature/hobbes-bio.html>.
"Leviathan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Sept. 2011. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leviathan
3. View on Human Rights
"Nature hath made men (and / or women) so equal in the faculties of the body and mind, as that though there be found one man (or woman) sometimes manifestly stronger in body or of quicker mind than another, yet when all is reckoned together the difference between man (or woman) and man (or woman) is not so considerable as that one man (or woman) can thereupon claim to himself (or herself) any benefit to which another may not pretend as well as he (or she)..." Thomas Hobbes
"Thomas Hobbes | Gender - class placement in our society - a knol by Susan F.." Knol - a unit of knowledge: share what you know, publish your expertise.. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Sept. 2011. <http://knol.google.com/k/thomas-hobbes-gender-class-placement-in-our-society#>.
The essential natural human right is to preserve his own life. A man's life consists entirely of liberties, not only laws. As long as there is natural right, there can be no security because nature is what allows men to live. A world of chaos in which there is a goal of killing others to stay alive, was not wanted. If peace was wanted, humans would have to give up most natural rights to create a civil society.
Human nature is to seek to maximize well being. Rights come before laws, and people will not obey the laws of nature without being subjected to an independent power.
Thomas Hobbes believed that rights came before obligations, which changed the idea of the classical law to modern natural rights.
"Natural and legal rights - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Sept. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural
_and_legal_rights#Thomas_Hobbes>.
In other words, Thomas Hobbes believed that humans are full of greed. The government needs to control the selfishness of people, or else everything would turn very chaotic. If there was a democracy, people would not be able to control themselves and would try to help only themselves, rather than the good of the society. He thought that people needed to make a choice of freedom or peace; that humans should voluntarily give up their own rights to create a peaceful society rather than one full of greed.
4. Views on Religion in Society
"The last crucial aspect of Hobbes's political philosophy is his treatment of religion. Hobbes progressively expands his discussion of Christian religion in each revision of his political philosophy, until it comes in Leviathan to comprise roughly half the book. There is no settled consensus on how Hobbes understands the significance of religion within his political theory. Some commentators have argued that Hobbes is trying to demonstrate to his readers the compatibility of his political theory with core Christian commitments, since it may seem that Christians' religious duties forbid their affording the sort of absolute obedience to their governors which Hobbes's theory requires of them. Others have doubted the sincerity of his professed Christianity, arguing that by the use of irony or other subtle rhetorical devices, Hobbes sought to undermine his readers' religious beliefs. Howsoever his intentions are properly understood, Hobbes's obvious concern with the power of religious belief is a fact that interpreters of his political philosophy must seek to explain."
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/hobbes-moral/#RelSocIns
In Hobbes' book, Leviathan, it is clear that he stresses the importance of religion in society by adjusting his theory so that it fit into the requirements of Christion religion. Hobbes himself apparently claimed to be a Christian, and although many points in politics do not coincide with Christian beliefs, Hobbes tries to make the two work together. The evidence above shows that religion was important to Hobbes, because as mentioned, he devoted roughly half the book to the discussion of Christion religion and politics. I think that this is proof enough to the claim that yes, Hobbes was a devout Christian, and viewed religion as something fundamentally important.
5. The Perfect Society
Leviathan states that civil peace and social unity work best by the establishment of a commonwealth through social contract. In the summary of his book, it says that Hobbes's ideal commonwealth is ruled by a sovereign power responsible for protecting the security of the commonwealth and granted absolute authority to ensure the common defense.
http://www.sparknotes.com/philosophy/leviathan/summary.html
6. Thoughts on Modern Society
The societal structure in 1651, when Hobbes wrote Leviathan, was when Hobbes' ideal society was a reality, but the modern world probably would not work out if a soverignty like the one Hobbes suggested was used. The reason why a Hobbseian commonwealth is not going to work is that people would rebel eventually because it's impossible to live a good life with absoulute monarchy and a ruler who controled everything. As the article said, "His supreme ruler mentality and his reluctance to sometimes live by natural law would lead to the downfall and misery of his society and its citizens." If he was still alive, he wouldn't be impressed with the results the world turned to today.
http://www.squidoo.com/thomas-hobbes
Thomas Hobbes: Notes on Philosophy
- “primal certainty.” used motion as the basis for his philosophy of nature, mind and society.
- Philosophical Rudiments concerning Government and Society. book = highly controversial, criticized by both sides of the English civil war in 1642
- In his book -> supported King over government, yet denied the King his divine right.
- Leviathan published in 1651, described the state as an organism, compare parts of the state to parts of the human body. This creature was dubbed “Leviathan”
- All acts are ultimately self-serving, even benevolent acts are selfish, in a state of nature, if/when there were no government/laws, people would act completely selfishly/only for themselves
- All humans are equal physically and mentally = causes conflict
- 3 reasons ppl fight: 1. Material goods 2. Distrust of each other 3. Glory of power
- Humans are in a state of perpetual conflict/war, fear, no morality.
- Morality = laws of Nature, deductively derived from geometry, the contracts necessary to keep peace:
- 15 laws of nature derived from 5 basic principals:
- (1) that human beings pursue only their own self-interest
- (2) that all people are equal
- (3) the three natural causes of quarrel
- (4) the natural condition of perpetual war
- (5) the motivation for peace