Hobbes

Question 1

What is Thomas Hobbes’ conception of human nature?

Answer 1

Humans are rational but fundamentally self-interested, driven by desires for self-preservation, power, and resources.

Question 2

What does Hobbes describe the state of nature as?

Answer 2

A state of perpetual war, leading to a life that is ‘solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.’

Question 3

What compels individuals to act against one another in the state of nature?

Answer 3

Fear of attack and the absence of trust.

Question 4

What are the laws of nature according to Hobbes?

Answer 4

Laws that reflect what humans must choose due to their rational nature and self-interest.

Question 5

What is the First Law of Nature as proposed by Hobbes?

Answer 5

Seek peace when possible; when it is not, use all necessary means to protect oneself.

Question 6

What is the Second Law of Nature according to Hobbes?

Answer 6

Agree to mutually transfer certain natural rights to a sovereign in order to establish peace.

Question 7

What does the Third Law of Nature entail?

Answer 7

Honor covenants made with others, as this is essential for the stability of society.

Question 8

What is the role of the Leviathan in Hobbes’ social contract?

Answer 8

To serve as a single, absolute sovereign to whom individuals surrender their natural rights for peace.

Question 9

What does Hobbes argue about the division of authority?

Answer 9

It risks conflict and a return to the state of nature.

Question 10

How does Hobbes define liberty?

Answer 10

The absence of external impediments.

Question 11

What do individuals gain by sacrificing certain freedoms under the Leviathan?

Answer 11

Security and peace.

Question 12

True or False: Hobbes views the restriction of negative liberty as unnecessary for survival.

Answer 12

False.

Question 13

What does Hobbes argue about the natural equality of men in terms of body and mind?

Answer 13

Hobbes argues that men are naturally equal in body and mind, with differences in strength or intellect being insignificant in the grand scheme, as the weakest can still pose a threat to the strongest.

Question 14

What leads to conflict between men, according to Hobbes?

Answer 14

Hobbes identifies three causes of conflict: competition (for gain), diffidence (for safety), and glory (for reputation).

Question 15

How does Hobbes describe life without a common power to keep men in check?

Answer 15

Life without a common power is a state of war, described as “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short,” where there is constant fear and danger of violent death.

Question 16

What is Hobbes’ view on justice and injustice in the state of nature?

Answer 16

In the state of nature, where there is no common power, there is no concept of justice or injustice because there is no law; only force and fraud are prevalent.

Question 17

What is the first fundamental law of nature, according to Hobbes?

Answer 17

The first fundamental law of nature is that every man should seek peace, and, when peace cannot be attained, he may use all means necessary to defend himself.

Question 18

How does Hobbes define the right of nature (jus naturale)?

Answer 18

The right of nature is the liberty each man has to use his power to preserve his own life and act in accordance with his judgment and reason.

Question 19

What happens if men break a covenant in the state of nature?

Answer 19

In the state of nature, covenants are invalid if there is no common power to enforce them, as there is no assurance that either party will perform their part.

Question 20

What is the role of a commonwealth, according to Hobbes?

Answer 20

The commonwealth is established to protect individuals from the condition of war, where a sovereign holds power to ensure peace, enforce covenants, and protect the people from both internal and external threats.

Question 21

What does Hobbes mean by “the Leviathan”?

Answer 21

The Leviathan represents the sovereign power in a commonwealth, created by individuals who covenant with one another to give up their individual rights in exchange for peace and protection.

Question 22

Why does Hobbes believe men cannot live in peace without a sovereign?

Answer 22

Hobbes argues that without a sovereign, men are driven by natural passions like pride, revenge, and partiality, which lead to constant conflict. A sovereign power is needed to ensure peace and the performance of covenants.

Question 23

What is the relationship between justice and covenants in Hobbes’ theory?

Answer 23

Justice, for Hobbes, consists in keeping covenants. In the state of nature, without a common power to enforce covenants, there can be no concept of justice or injustice.

Question 24

How does Hobbes view the creation of a commonwealth?

Answer 24

A commonwealth is created when individuals come together, through a covenant, to submit their wills and judgments to one sovereign, who acts in the interest of peace and common defense.

Question 25

Community/commonwealth

Answer 25

while a community could refer to any group of people living together, a commonwealth specifically refers to a political body formed through a social contract, established for mutual defense and the maintenance of peace. It is society organized under a sovereign authority that imposes law and order.

Question 26

Leviathan (origin and meaning of the word out of context)

Answer 26

The word “Leviathan” originates from the Bible, specifically from the Old Testament. There the Leviathan is described as a massive, fearsome sea creature or serpent, often symbolizing chaos, power, and evil.

In the context of Thomas Hobbes’ work, the title Leviathan is a metaphor for the sovereign authority that Hobbes believed was necessary to maintain peace and security in society. Hobbes uses the Leviathan as an allegory for the state or commonwealth, suggesting that just as the biblical Leviathan was a powerful, uncontrollable beast, so too must the sovereign have absolute, centralized power to control and maintain order.

Question 27

Which notion of liberty do Hobbes’ ideas align with?

Answer 27

The negative notion of liberty

Question 28

TF

Hobbes believed that humans are inherently good and cooperative in nature, but society corrupts them.

Answer 28

False

Question 29

TF

According to Hobbes, in the state of nature, humans act out of rational self-interest, leading to perpetual conflict and war.

Answer 29

True

Question 30

TF

Hobbes’ first law of nature is to agree to transfer certain natural rights to a sovereign in order to establish peace.

Answer 30

False

Question 31

TF

Hobbes argued that a divided or limited government is preferable to an absolute sovereign in order to prevent the return to the state of nature.
For Hobbes, liberty is defined as the ability to act without any external constraints or laws imposed by the sovereign.

Answer 31

False

Question 32

Critiques of Hobbes (5)

Answer 32

1) pessimistic view on people’s nature. Critics argue that Hobbes overstates human selfishness and underestimates the potential for cooperation, empathy, and altruism in human behavior.

2) absolute sovereignty. Critics argue that this model can lead to tyranny and oppression, as it concentrates all power in one ruler or governing body.

3) liberty defined very narrowly , leaves a lot of space for tyranny fx

4) lack of moral foundation for the social contract

5) state of nature. Hobbes’ description of the state of nature as “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short” has been criticized for being overly simplistic and extreme.

Question 33

Tf

Justice is a social construct, arising from the establishment of a sovereign authority through a social contract.

Answer 33

True

Question 34

Tf

Without justice (or laws), life would be “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.”

Answer 34

True