Locke's State of Nature

Question 1

Locke’s alternative foundation to political obligation leaves room for

Answer 1

Political disobedience

Question 2

Locke wants to show us

Answer 2

Why and when we have to obey

Question 3

Locke’s definition of political power

Answer 3

The right of making laws backed up by force, and all less penalties for the regulation and reserving of property

Question 4

Locke’s property

Answer 4

Lives, liberties, and possessions

Question 5

Locke believes the state of nature is

Answer 5

Any period with a common power

Question 6

Natural equality

Answer 6

A moral claim about the rights persons naturally possess: we all have the same natural rights

Question 7

Contra-filmer

Answer 7

No person has a natural right to subordinate another/ no person has natural authority

Question 8

Natural freedom

Answer 8

The state of nature is a state of perfect freedom

Question 9

Licence

Answer 9

Doing whatever you want (killing)

Question 10

Liberty

Answer 10

Doing what you want but acting in accordance with the laws of nature (no killing)

Question 11

What are the laws of nature

Answer 11

The laws that govern the state of nature
These laws exist independently of the conventions of humankind
He thinks they are commanded by God

Question 12

Fundamental law of nature

Answer 12

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

Question 13

Why do we have a duty of self-preservation?

Answer 13

Because we are God’s property

Question 14

Why do we have natural freedom and equality

Answer 14

We have been crested by God as equals

Question 15

3 implications of the fundamental law

Answer 15

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

Question 16

Property rights (3)

Answer 16

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

Question 17

Why can’t we destroy ourselves

Answer 17

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

Question 18

What is our equal right to execute the law of nature?

Answer 18

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

Question 19

Everyone has the right to kill a

Answer 19

Murderer

Question 20

Why does Locke claim that everyone can kill a murderer

Answer 20

Having this right enables us to preserve humankind

The laws of nature would be in vain if there were no powers to enforce it