Thomas Hobbes (Week 2)

What are the two different forms of rationality according to Hobbes?

1) Individual Rationality 2) Collective Rationality

What are the first three laws of the Laws of Nature?

1) It is rational to seek peace and to use war toward this end. 2) It is rational to give up our natural right of liberty- that is, the right of nature discussed above- so long as others do so as well. 3) It is rational to keep one's covenants or contracts.

What are the five reasons or circumstances that lead to a state of war in the state of nature?

1) Unending desire. 2) The drive for power. 3) Equality. 4) Scarcity 5) Uncertainty.

What are the three sources of power according to Hobbes?

1) Wealth 2) Reputation 3) Friends

Where does the reasonable expectation that the laws will be obeyed come from?

According to Hobbes, it is provided by government and its laws. A sovereign or ruler- a state- who will severely punish those who break the law.

Do we have a rational or moral obligation to obey the laws of nature?

According to Hobbes, no. At least not if everyone is breaking them. We have a reason to obey only when we have a reasonable expectation that others will obey too.

Conservation of Human Desire

Advanced by Hobbes. Idea that our desires are never satiated, unless some outside force stops us. We continually and ceaselessly seek felicity or happiness.

What does Hobbes propose about human equality?

Believes that humans are also, by nature, equal- we have roughly the same level of strength and skill. We each have the capacity to kill the other, either by surprise or by teaming up with others. (This does not mean that we have MORAL equality).

What are the two novels that depict two outcomes of the state of nature?

Coral Island- where three English boys cooperate and manage to live an idyllic life, versus Lord of the Flies- a story of English boys are stranded on a bountiful coral island. They soon fall into dispute and desperate tribal warfare. (The Lord of the Flies accepts and shows more of a Hobbesian view of human nature).

Mechanistic Physics

Everything in nature, including our mental states- beliefs, hopes, desires, sensations- can be explained mechanistically.

What is Hobbes effectively arguing with the Prisoner's Dilemma?

He is arguing that it is individually rational to preemptively strike, but collectively rational for us to seek peace. -Remember, however, that the prisoners' dilemma was created by a French Philosopher, not Hobbes!

What is the fundamental claim Hobbes is making about humans?

He is not claiming that we are all fundamentally evil or greedy. His point is that it is fear- not cruelty or selfishness- that leads to a state of war. The rational thing to do in such circumstances is to strike first, to strike preemptively.

What form of government is Hobbes recommending?

He is recommending a monarchy. Hobbes was a champion of the King during the war. He will say that we need a strong sovereign, or a strong ruler, that will enforce compliance to the contract. - Once we have this contract and ruler who will enforce it, then morality emerges because you can be confident that there is not this overwhelming threat.

What does Hobbes argue regarding the state of nature and state itself?

Hobbes argues that the state of nature is a state of war. In the absence of a state, human nature will inevitably bring us into severe conflict. This is so terrible that we will sort of voluntarily give up certain freedoms in order to instate the. This voluntary surrender is what justifies the existence of the state.

Galileo

Hobbes was a fan of this guy. He put forward the theory of the conservation of motion.

What are the implications of the second law of nature?

If we all agree and can agree on what rights to give up, we are more likely to keep/get peace.

The Right of Nature

In the state of nature, everyone can do anything to preserve his or her own life. -In other words, one has the right to do anything to anybody to preserve your own life- you even have a right to someone else's body! In the state of nature, there is no morality- no right or wrong. We all have a natural right of liberty.

Anarchists

Individuals who claim that the very existence of the state is unethical/immoral in political philosophy. They basically take Locke's philosophy to the extreme.

What does capitalism claim?

It claims, 'in a nutshell', that whenever everyone acts in their own self-interest, we get the optimal outcome. However, we can see that this is not always the case.

What are the implications of the first law of nature?

It is rational to seek peace. You are more likely to survive in a peaceful state of nature than if you were to be in a state of nature that is in a state of war. Therefore, you should try to seek peace, but also don't be a fool.

What is the argument regarding business and the state of nature?

Many individuals see business as a state of war. It is a competition. You have to do what you need to survive, so anything goes. Therefore, ethics does not really apply to the world of business.

What are the two central concepts for Hobbes in understanding human nature?

Materialism and Mechanism. - The idea that the universe is one vast, physical machine and that our body is a machine as well.

The Laws of Nature

Nineteen rational laws on how to best preserve your life and liberty in the state of nature. -These are not moral laws- they are rational laws or practical principles of reason. They just tell you what you need to do to preserve your life.

Why do we want power?

Since we have this unending desire for things, we want power because power is what secures such things. In other words, only power can secure felecity.

What tradition does Hobbes defend?

Social contract tradition.

The Plank of Carneades

Story about two men, one of which (Jones) leaves Smith to die. This helps depict what Hobbes is trying to claim. In a sense, Hobbes is saying that in the state of nature we are likewise in a state of self-defense, and thus traditional morality does not apply. -Some would argue that this perpetual state of self-defense exists in the business world.

State

Term used in reference to government.

What time period was Hobbes writing in?

The 1600s. Hobbes was British writing in England and the English Civil War was prevalent during his time. This is what drives many of his perceptions about the state of nature.

What are the implications of the third law of nature?

The contract is going to stipulate that we give up some of our freedoms to institute the state to get something else- security. - You can no longer, when you sign the contract, do whatever you want with impunity. You now have laws and restrictions that you all agreed to.

Felicity

The feeling of success when we achieve or attain the object of our desire.

What is the fundamental concern of political philosophy?

The fundamental concern is political power.

Materialism

The only thing that exists is the physical or material world.

Political Power

The right to command others and subject the to punishment if they disobey.

The State of Nature

The state of human existence in which no one possess political power.

According to Hobbes, what does this equality of ability lead to?

This leads to an equality of hope or confidence in our actually attaining it. But there is also a scarcity of goods in the state of nature. This renders the state of nature a competition: a zero-sum game in which my gain is your loss. -Accordingly, this leads to endless vulnerability or uncertainty- what I have, others may desire. Indeed, my very existence is a threat.

What does Rousseau argue?

This philosopher disagreed with Hobbes, instead arguing that society, or the state, really corrupts everything. He believed that we were already in the idealistic state with the state of nature.

Galileo's Incline Plane

Thought experiment used to demonstrate the conservation of motion/his friction theory.

What is remarkable about political power?

Through this we are giving the state the RIGHT to tell us what to do and punish us if we disobey. We want to know what justifies this power.

Hobbes and Materialism

To Hobbes, we are entirely composed of "body" or matter. He wishes to deny immaterial entities- gods, ghosts, souls, etc. - To understand human nature then, we need to understand the physical or material constitution of human beings, we need to study physics or matter in motion.

Theory of the Conservation of Motion

We do not need to explain why an object continues in motion, only why it changes motion. -In other words, objects will continue in motion unless hindered by some outside force.

Collective Rationality

What is best for each individual on the assumption that everyone else will act the same way.

Individual Rationality

What is best for me absent considerations of how others will act.