Hobbes' Leviathan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Hobbes Leviathan - Essay ExampleThe problem, as he sees it, is that there is no overarching figure, a being or entity or idea with power to instill awe, to mathematical function obedience to a greater good beyond the three causes of perpetual war, which he sees as competition, unobtrusiveness fear of attack, and glory or vanity ch13, p2. Consequently, the lives of people in such a state are famously described as solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short ch13, p3.Hobbes appears to pee been influenced in this negative characterization by the civil war raging in England at the time of his writing. He acknowledges that such a state may never have existed generally, scarce that it exists in places where the power to instill awe is absentHowsoever, it may be perceived what manner of deportment there would be, where there were no common power to fear, by the manner of life which men that have formerly lived under a peaceful government use to degenerate into a civil war. (ch 13, p4. more than notably, he argues that this state of perpetual conflict exists in societies, such as the native societies of America, where, according to his fairly distant reading, there are no powers to instill awe and obedience.Hobbes believes that humanity emerges come forward of this peculiarly solitary, distrustful state - in which justice, being a socially developed concept, does not yet exist (ch13, p4 - finished a combination of originator and the passions. Hobbes asserts somewhat contradictorily that mans nature, besides being a cause of perpetual conflict with his neighbors, in addition inclines him to peaceThe passions that incline men to peace are fear of death desire of such things as are necessary to commodious living and a hope by their industry to obtain them. And reason suggesteth convenient articles of peace upon which men may be drawn to agreement ch13, p4.The articles of peace here mentioned are save developed, in chapters 14 and 15, into nine laws of nature. Of t hese, Hobbes places the one he considers most important at the head. This law states that man ought to movement peace ch14, p1, as far as he is able to achieve it - and failing this, should seek all the advantages of war. Mans ingrained diffidence, or fear of attack, as mentioned earlier, would best be assuaged by the creation of a peaceful estate, simply if this cannot be created, then a preparedness for war, based on the idea that attack is the best manner of defense, is the next best option.Hobbes second law of nature is central to his idea of man moving out of the state of nature into civil society, in that it involves a willingness to restrict individual liberty. He states it thusThat a man be willing, when otherwises are so too, as far forth, as for peace, and defence of himself he shall recollect it necessary, to lay down this right to all things, and be contented with so much liberty against other men, as he would allow other men against himself ch14, p2.With Hobbes th ird law comes the important idea of the bargain - what we nowadays translate as ontract. Men perform their covenants made, he writes ch15, p1. I take