Hobbes' Leviathan Flashcards
What is the human condition for Hobbes? Is there some truth to his depiction of humanity in this day and age?
The human condition is SPooNBruSh. Life’s too short to the point that we don’t learn from our mistakes. It’s nasty. It’s poor- we’re always competing for resources. It’s brutish – the strong or those with power will always abuse power. “The greatest power comes with the greatest abuses.” It’s solitary. It’s a wide distribution of things. On another extreme, the other opposite could also be true.
Yes, and no. Some people might have learned of this, some may not actually behave in a way that validates the idea of the SPooNBruSh. But there will also be people that will live validating this idea
What is the state of war? Is society in a constant state of war?
Society is in a constant state of war. A state where we are afraid of one another. A lingering suspicion of a possibility of harm, theft, or being taken advantage of someone.
Yes, society is in a constant state of war. That’s why we have security, locks, passwords, etc. There is no constancy of things, like altruism, love, etc. It’s not like they’re not present, but there are times when there is a prominent absence of these things.
How does the Leviathan bring order to the state?
The Leviathan, a single individual or group of individuals, consolidates the power. Through the affirmation of the people and centralizing these forces, the Leviathan can enforce social order in society. That’s why many politicians justify their rule. There is a crisis and is going to be solved (or will stop). The enemy is going to be the goal of this movement. Everything is justified as long as it justifies the end.
How does the social contract maintain social solidarity?
The social contract is practiced/ affirmed by everyone. There may be some form of grievances regarding these norms. When one commits a crime, they are aware that they commit a crime.
Social contract maintains social solidarity because it allows people to conform without being coerced to conform. A voluntary thing, but not necessarily a voluntary situation. You’re part of the system, you reproduce that system, and you contribute to that system.
