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Description
Flashcards by Amna AlNasser, updated more than 1 year ago
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Created by Amna AlNasser
almost 8 years ago
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| Question | Answer |
| What is the Leviathan | - The Leviathan was the most influential work of the 17th century - In 1640, Hobbes thought that it was clear that the parliament would turn against the King (Charles 1), so to avoid the brutality of a civil war, he fled to France - He composed Levithan in france to raise the claim that it is necessary to have an absolute sovereign rule = he stresses this due to the many years of political instability and regise that was spreading in Europe. |
| What was the controversy behind the Leviathan ? | - The political argument that Hobbes raised was very controversial - He advocated for restoring the monarchy in a time of civil war - The english republic was at its strongest - He based his arguments on mechanistic views of the world; this is a materialist philosophy which was even worse for him as people criticised him and labelled him as anthesis |
| How did Hobbes view civil wars? | - To Hobbes, a civil war was the definition of horror and terror - This is why he wanted to reform political philosophy n order to reform the nation and as a result, end this fear of a civil war. |
| What are Hobbes's main arguments? | Hobbes main argument is that centralised power is the best ideology as it best protects indivioduakls from the teroror or civil wars - To support this argument, he centered it around 5 aspects = 1) The establishment of a sovereign power 2) Notion of Absolutism 3) The state of nature 4) The laws of nature 5) The state of nature as a state of war |
| What does Hobbes state about sovereign power? | - When people have mutually consented to obey the authority, they have established what Hobbes called a sovereign institution - If the consent to obey this authority occurs out of the instance of threat e.g a conqueror, then it is referred to as sovereignty through acquisition. = both these methods of gaining sovereign power are equally as legitimate - This is become in both instances, fear is the underlying motivation |
| How does Hobbes explain fear as the underlying motivation in 1) sovereign institution 2) Sovereignty through acquisition | In a sovereign institution, the fear is over fellow citizens In sovereignty through acquisition, the fear is over external rivalry = it doesn't matter how the sovereign goverment came to power, but rather whether it is effective in protecting the commonwealth. |
| What does Hobbes's state about the notion of Absolutism ? | - |
| What is the Hobbathian state of nature? | - Hobbes invites the reader to imagine a world where we live in a state of no government - People would be in the condition of mere nature, solely driven by fear to survive and private judgments - This is because there is no agency or recognised authority to arbitrate disputes and enforce decisions |
| WHat is the criticism of a state of nature? | - Many criticise the state of nature because they view it as pessimistic - In the state of nature, Hobbes is criticised for assuming that people are all similar - in physical and mentally, suggesting that n one can dominate other - Peoples only motivation is to preserve their life and survive based on judgements and this is also criticised. BUT = it is through these assumptions of a state of nature that Hobbes can explain why people have inclined to religion as a way to cope with the constant fear over their life - in this state, people hav ethe right to nature, which is the right to preserve themselves in whatever means possible |
| What is a Hobbathian state of war? | - Hobbes argues that the right of each to all things can create a system of conlfict, especially if it is with respect to resources - People will always be in fear that outsiders will invade to access their resources - These conflicts are fuled by other diagremeents like moral judgments or relgious belifs = because in this state there is no established sovereign or commonwealth, everyone is at the liberty to decide for themselves and act of their personal moral; judgment - this is problematic because resolving a problem will be much harder and is more likely to result in a war against all. |
| What are laws of nature to Hobbes? | - Hobbes claims that in the state of nature, there is amiserable state of war - In this state of war, none of our human important ends are realsied - Because of our human capacity , we can leave this state of nature= each human has rationality and when we use it, we see something better than a state of war, and we see a peaceful state - To obtain such peace, one must use the laws of nature to build a peaceful society and establish an absolute sovereign for the commonwealth |
| WHat is Hobbes' Fundamental Law of Nature and his 5 natural laws | Fundamental Law of Nature - "That every man, ought to endeavor Peace, as farre as he has hope of obtaining it; and when he cannot obtain it, that he may seek, and use, all helps, and advantages of Warre." Second Law of Nature - "That a man be willing, when others are so too, as farre-forth, as for Peace, and defence of himself he shall think 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." Third Law of Nature, Justice - People should perform the covenants they make. Fourth Law of Nature - Since the object of every person is his/her own good, no gifts or acts of benevolence should meet ingratitude. Fifth Law of Nature - Every person should try to accommodate him/herself to others (i.e. Cooperate and work with others.). (The mutual transferring of a right is called a contract. -according to Hobbes) |
| What was the enlightenment period and how did it influence Hobbes? | The age of enlightment introduced the new views on human nature These views were secular views, andbased on rationality - Thinkers had different conclusions on tehe true odeas of human nature and bejavour; so in order to settle these differences, englihgmtnet thinkers anaylsed the role of the state of nature through ideas of rationality - By the end of enlightenment, thinkers had analysed human instincts in the state of nature, and were able to design a system of government that promoted common equality over individual freedom Hobbes was the first enlightenment thinker to base his argument explicitly in the state on nature - claiming that humans need a rule of government, that would avoid a state on war. |
| How does Hobbes use rationality in the Leviathan ? | - Hobbes used the leviathan to portray a rational agent who seeks to maximise power and act on self interest - He argues "the state is thus a cruel and artificial construct but necessary for the sake of protecting its citizens" Hobbes claims that humans have 2 principles choices 1) to live in a state of nature with no goverment 2) to live under absolute sovereignty Hobbes creates a sequence of political life based on rationality = 1. state of nature where man is at war with man and a war against all 2. man enters a social contract, submitting to the authority and protection of the sovereign either through a sovereign institution or sovereignty through acquisition 3. sovereign must be absolute and legitimate 4. if the sovereign fails, and the contract is broke, one returns to a state of nature. |
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