Philosophy Chapter 14: Natural Laws and Contracts

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Questions and Answers

What does Chapter 14 discuss?

  • Human governance
  • The first and second Natural Laws (correct)
  • Social contracts (correct)
  • Natural rights only

What is a 'Law of Nature'?

A general rule discovered through reason that affirms human self-preservation and condemns acts destructive to human life.

Natural law demands that we seek peace because __________.

to seek peace is to fulfill our natural right to defend ourselves.

What does the second law of nature entail?

<p>We must mutually divest ourselves of certain rights (such as taking another life) in order to escape the state of natural war.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why can the right of self-preservation never be given up?

<p>It is the right upon which the contract is founded in the first place.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the contract, or covenant, represent according to natural law?

<p>The persons of all involved in the construction of the covenant.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are the two types of persons described?

<p>Natural and artificial.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Define a 'natural person'.

<p>One whose words are his or her own.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Define an 'artificial person'.

<p>One whose words are those of someone else.</p> Signup and view all the answers

The contract becomes a representative of __________.

<p>the natural people.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why does the contract fit the definition of an artificial person?

<p>Because the contract is a representative personating the words of natural people.</p> Signup and view all the answers

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Study Notes

Natural Laws and Contracts

  • Chapter 14 discusses the first and second Natural Laws in the context of social contracts.
  • A "Law of Nature" reflects a universal principle derived from reason promoting self-preservation while denouncing actions harmful to human life.

Seeking Peace

  • Natural law compels individuals to pursue peace as a way to uphold the natural right to self-defense.

Second Law of Nature

  • The second law necessitates the relinquishment of certain rights, including the right to kill, to avoid perpetual conflict inherent in the state of nature.

Right of Self-Preservation

  • The right to self-preservation remains inviolable, forming the foundational basis for social contracts.

The Contract and Natural Law

  • The social contract, guided by natural law, embodies and represents all individuals engaged in the covenant.

Types of Persons in Contracts

  • Distinction between two types of persons: natural persons and artificial persons.

Definition of Natural and Artificial Persons

  • A "natural person" articulates personal words and opinions autonomously.
  • An "artificial person" conveys words or views articulated by another individual.

Representation in Contracts

  • The social contract serves as a representative of natural persons, encapsulating their collective agency.

Artificial Person Concept

  • Since the contract acts as a representative echoing the voices of natural persons, it constitutes an "artificial person" by definition.

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