Locke's State of Nature Flashcards
Locke’s alternative foundation to political obligation leaves room for
Political disobedience
Locke wants to show us
Why and when we have to obey
Locke’s definition of political power
The right of making laws backed up by force, and all less penalties for the regulation and reserving of property
Locke’s property
Lives, liberties, and possessions
Locke believes the state of nature is
Any period with a common power
Natural equality
A moral claim about the rights persons naturally possess: we all have the same natural rights
Contra-filmer
No person has a natural right to subordinate another/ no person has natural authority
Natural freedom
The state of nature is a state of perfect freedom
Licence
Doing whatever you want (killing)
Liberty
Doing what you want but acting in accordance with the laws of nature (no killing)
What are the laws of nature
The laws that govern the state of nature
These laws exist independently of the conventions of humankind
He thinks they are commanded by God
Fundamental law of nature
Humankind is to be preserved
Above all else we have a duty of self-preservation
We also have a duty to preserve the rest of humankind when this doesn’t conflict with our own self-preservation
Why do we have a duty of self-preservation?
Because we are God’s property
Why do we have natural freedom and equality
We have been crested by God as equals
3 implications of the fundamental law
We have a natural right to life, liberty, and property
We do not have a right to destroy ourselves so we cannot transfer the right of arbitrary power
In order that these rights aren’t in vain, we have a right to execute
Property rights (3)
We must only take as much as we can use before it spoils
We must leave enough and as good for others (lockean proviso)
We acquire rights over something by mixing our labour with it
Why can’t we destroy ourselves
Following the laws of nature always comes first
Destroying yourself would be to destroy God’s property
Submitting to absolute power would mean doing whatever they commanded, but you have no right to consent to anything
What is our equal right to execute the law of nature?
The right to judge what we think is the content of the laws of nature
The right to restrain attempts to violate the laws of nature
The right to punish others for transgressions of the laws of nature
Everyone has the right to kill a
Murderer
Why does Locke claim that everyone can kill a murderer
Having this right enables us to preserve humankind
The laws of nature would be in vain if there were no powers to enforce it
