Hobbes' State of Nature

Hobbes' View on the State of Nature

• Individuals desiring the same resources that cannot be shared become enemies, leading to conflict aimed at self-preservation.
• Even with equal power, the desire for land and resources motivates others to mobilize forces to dispossess individuals of their gains and liberties.
• People seek not just immediate satisfaction but also power to secure future desires; reputation for strength can prevent attacks.
• Three main motives for aggression in the state of nature include: gain (resources), safety (preventive action against others), and glory (establishing reputation).
• Human beings, in seeking happiness, constantly strive to increase their power to access future goods.

The Liberty in the State of Nature

• In the absence of a common power, Hobbes asserts there are no moral laws, leading to a lack of right or wrong.
• The concept of justice does not apply without a lawgiver; therefore, individuals have complete liberty to do as they see fit for self-preservation, including taking lives.
• Hobbes argues that individuals are justified in their actions when defending themselves from perceived threats.
• The 'Natural Right of Liberty' allows individuals to act based on their judgment in the state of nature.

Laws of Nature

• Hobbes introduces the 'Laws of Nature', fundamental principles to govern conduct even in a state without formal laws.
• The first law promotes the pursuit of peace; when peace cannot be achieved, individuals may resort to war.
• A second law encourages mutual agreement on rights; individuals should seek equal liberty in society.
• The third law emphasizes the importance of keeping covenants and agreements.
• Hobbes proposes a total of nineteen Laws of Nature, derived from rational conclusions rather than moral laws.

Tension Between Peace and War

• Hobbes suggests rational behavior can result in both war and the pursuit of peace, leading to a duality within human nature.
• This contradiction arises from how individual self-preservation often leads to conflict when resources are scarce.

Rousseau's Counterargument

• Rousseau argues that human beings possess innate compassion, which contrasts Hobbes' view of the state of nature as inherently conflictual.
• He asserts that despite the lack of formal moral laws in the state of nature, individuals tend to avoid harming others because of their natural aversion to suffering.
• The tension arises when the need for self-preservation conflicts with compassion.

Justification of the State

• The state is seen as a necessary mechanism to avoid the intolerability of life in the state of nature.
• John Stuart Mill contends that life without limits imposed by a governing authority lacks worth, prompting acceptance of the state.
• Critics of the state, particularly Locke, argue that the state’s authority must be justified through consent, highlighting the natural rights of individuals to freedom and equality.
• Locke's perspective presents a challenge for justifying state authority as it must be consistent with the autonomy of individuals.