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HPT 2023 summaries part 1 > Hobbes > Flashcards

Hobbes Flashcards

1
Q

What makes Hobbes unique?

A

Hobbes can be said to be the Plato of modernity. Modern positions in political thought are more varied and paradoxical than ancient philosophers.

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2
Q

What is the main thought of Hobbes?

A

The practical motivation of his work was constructing peace, and the theoretical motivation was to do that on a scientific basis.

Thomas Hobbes Ilived from 1588-1679 AD. During his life, he experienced the civil war in England with three kings} Charles I, Cromwell, and Charles ll. His main work is the Leviathan published in 1651.

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3
Q

Against what was Hobbes against?

A
  • Schoolmen,
  • authority,
  • reason/nature
  • Teleology
  • The Kingdom of Darkness(- Roman Catholic Church)
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4
Q

What was Hobbes in favour of?

A
  • Empiricism (sense)
  • Naturalism, materialism
  • Mechanics, causality
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5
Q

What where important concepts of Hobbes?

A
  • Love/hate (desire/aversion, in presence)
  • Good/evil (object of desire/ Aversion)
  • Felicity (Continual success in getting the things which a man desires)
    -Power (means of power)
  • Liberty (Absence Of external impediments to motion)
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6
Q

What is the state of nature?

A

(1) People are roughly equal
(2) Driven by desires (Competition (gain) diffidence (safety), and glory (reputation)
(3) Scarcity

These three lead to a state of war, of l everyone against everyone

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7
Q

What is the state of war?

A

This state of war is not necessarily actual violence, but there is in any case a constant threat. According to Hobbes, life is “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short”.

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8
Q

What is the laws of nature?

A

19 natural laws of the human being.

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9
Q

What is the one natural right?

A

Self-preservation

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10
Q

What are the most important natural laws?

A
  1. …every man ought to endeavor peace, as far as he has hope of obtaining it; and when he cannot obtain it, that he may seek and use all helps and advantages af war.
  2. …a man be willing, when others are so too, as far forth, as for peace, and defense 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.
  3. …men perform their covenants made.
  4. -every rnan strive to accommodate himself to the rest.
  5. …no man by deed, word, countenance, or gesture, declare hatred or contempt of another.
  6. every rnan acknowledge another for his equal by nature.
  7. …at the entrance into the conditions of peace, no man require to reserve to himself any right, which he is not content should be reserved to every one of the rest
  8. …they that are at controversy, submit their Right to the judgment Of an Arbitrator.
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11
Q

What is the social contract?

A

Sovereign states would make and enforce the laws to secure a peaceful society. This would make life, liberty, and property possible. Hobbes called this agreement the “social contract”

One ‘signs’ the social contract not only out of fear but also because it is rational. The social contract is reflected in the third natural law. pactasuntservanda.
It is unjust to break the contract, which means that there is only justice in civil society, However, the contract still needs to be enforced and backed up by force.

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12
Q

What is the Leviathian?

A

Hobbes’ perception of the state is focused on the Leviathan, who can be seen as a mortal god or an artificial man.

The Leviathan is a commonwealth.
The state, according to Hobbes, is sovereign.

The Leviathan makes all laws, and he is also above the laws, with the state being ruled according to absolutism, not constitutionalism.

The state supervises religion and the books, and there is no separation of church and state
The state is an absolute monarchy, oligarchy/democracy: tyranny is a disliked monarchy. There is no mixed regime and separation of powersm

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13
Q

How does Hobbes see liberty?

A

People are free when no external obstacle hinders them from doing what they desire to do. Laws are artificial chains reducing an individual’s liberty.

Hobbes sees liberty as the absence of opposition (negative liberty).
“ he, in those things, which by his strength and with he able to do, is not hindered to do what he has a will to.

Fear and liberty are consistent, as well as liberty and necessity.
Also in the civil state, plus:

Liberty in the silence of the law

Right to protect yourself when the state fails

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14
Q

What influnces did Hobbes have.

A
  • Liberalism Locke, Apossessive individualism’
  • International Relations: anarchy and realism
  • Rational choice theory: prisoner’s dilemma
  • Modern sovereign state: bureaucratic Leviathan
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15
Q

What influnces did Hobbes have.

A
  • Liberalism Locke, Apossessive individualism’
  • International Relations: anarchy and realism
  • Rational choice theory: prisoner’s dilemma
  • Modern sovereign state: bureaucratic Leviathan
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16
Q

What is absolute sovereignty?

A

Constructed by a social contract. In the state of nature, which is prior to the formation of a social contract, all human behaviour is unchecked by law„ Because humans are by nature selfinterested, Hobbes thought that there would inevitably be a conflict between people. According to Hobbest it would be rational for the people ‘to make a contract with each other, so that they can satisfy their desire for self-preservation.

17
Q

How does a government look like formed by a social contract?

A

The government formed by this contract holds absolute power because only absolute power can resolve disputes that would otherwise threaten people’s lives. This government does not necessarily have to be an absolute monarchy, an oligarchy or a democracy is also viable. Governments with limited power are not viable. Limited power leads to conflics that are impossible to resolve by governments with limited power.

18
Q

What are the mechanics of the human Mind?

A
  • External bodies
  • Vital motions
  • Voluntary motions
19
Q

What are external bodies?

A

Knowledge that comes of the world from external bodies, which press each sense. An example is the smell of something (external body) that presses against the sense, in this case, the nose.

20
Q

What are Vital motions?

A

Vital motions are innate and automatic. They will continue throughout the life Of an animal, like breathing, blood flow, etc

21
Q

What are voluntary motions?

A

Voluntary motions are motions, like speaking, moving your arm, etc. Voluntary motions are dependent on a preceding thought or imagination.

22
Q

What is endeavour?

A

The small beginnings of motion within someone’s body

23
Q

What is appetite/desire?

A

The small beginnings of motion within someone’s body is directed to something.

The things men desire are said to be loved

24
Q

What is Aversion?

A

The small beginnings of motion within someone’s body fromward something.

The things for which men have an aversion are said to be hated. Things we neither desire nor hate are contemned

25
Q

What is power according to Hobbes?

A

He defines power as the present means a man has to obtain some future good.

He identifies two kinds of power:

Natural power: Serived from the abilities of the body and mind (strength, arts, etc)

Instrumental power (derives from acquired faculties (friends, reputation, etc.). The measure of power is a man’s worth. This is how much would be given for the use Of someone’s power.

26
Q

What do humans think of power?

A

People are always focused on power. There is constant competition going on, and this leads to war, contention, and enmity.

To reach his desires, a man will kill, subdue or do whatever is necessary to the other, Fear of death and wounds is the only thing that stops this competition from _getting out of hand.

27
Q

What is the natural right?

A

The liberty of everyone to use his own power for self-preservation. Liberty is understood as the absence of external impediments.

28
Q

What is a law of a nature?

A

A law of nature is a general rule, grasped by reasont that it is forbidden to do things that can destroy your life, to do things because Of which you cannot preserve your life anymore

+ This means that a man should endeavour peace.

29
Q

What is the first law of nature?

A

When peace is not possible, you can defend yourself

30
Q

What is the second law of nature?

A

It says that we should deprive ourselves of the right to do a certain things to escape the state of war. Depriving ourselves mutually of certain rights is what we call a contract,.
To make sure their own self-preservationt people will give up their rights only when others are willing to do it as well.
The right of self-preservation then is the basis of the contract. A common power should keep people to the contract

31
Q

What is the third law of nature?

A

The third law of nature is that people should keep the contracts they make, Keeping the contract is seen as just, breaking it unjust.

HPT 2023 summaries part 1 (6 decks)

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