Hobbes Flashcards
Empiricism and physicalism
Empiricism: all knowledge begins in sense experience and our reflection on that experience
- Sense experiences are of physical objects and phenomena that proceed by physical means & lead to knowledge
- Thoughts & minds -> physical
- Humans are fully physical
Physicalism: physical objects and events have physical causes
- If everything is physical then my being and action also have physical causes
(no soul only physical)
Determinism
Everything is purely physical
No real free will
I am not the ultimate cause of my actions, they themselves have other causes
Mental and Physical equality
No real difference between human minds and those of other animals
We are complex biological machines like other animals
Our most basic drive
Humans are fundamentally self-interested/competitive
We strive for for power, domination, praise
Fear and desire for self-preservation are primary motivators
The causes of strife in a state of nature
Scarcity of resources leads to competition and violence
Lack of government or moral rules
Why we should wish to end a state of nature and begin the social contract
A war of “all against all” makes life poor, nasty, short
Through reason we see cooperation under sovereign is better
Only way to escape nature and ensure peace/security
The characteristics of humans even out of a state of nature
Evil psychology - selfish, fearful, competitive
No morality
Human nature makes some form of authority needed to avoid conflict
