Hobbes Flashcards
(20 cards)
what is the divine right
monarchs are chosen by good, they are not accountable to any earthly authority
hobbes on divine right
rejected it despite being a royalist
hobbes on nature
we are a collection of atoms, naturally in motion
what hobbes thinks explains human/animal behaviour
explained not due to purpose but due to desire, we want things and our behaviour aims to achieve them
aristotle on nature
teleological, somethings nature is its purpose
hobbes on power
the power of a man is his means to obtain some future good, natural power is the faculties of the body and mind which are used to aquire stuff
hobbes suggestion of where a state of nature exists
‘savage’ people in american
hobbes natural rights
everyone has a ‘natural right’ to work towards self preservation and to do what it takes to achieve this
first law of nature
‘each man ought to endeavour peace’, although we have a right to do these things to preserve ourself, we should prefer not to do them
second law of nature
a man be willing when others are too, to ignore these natural rights and be content with liberty amongst others
hobbes’ social contract quote
‘the mutual transferring of right is that which men call contract’
the social contract general idea
individuals in the state of nature would be motivated to lay their natural rights aside to form a commonwealth and be ruled by a sovereign, it is between individuals and creates a sovereign
hobbes idea of the sovereign
an artificial creation of the people which represents them, could be one or multiple people but a monarch most effective as they have a single will
rights of the sovereign
choose their successor, control education/religion, make laws, demand taxes, go to war/settle peace, property law
duties of the sovereign
secure their survival and protect subjects, refrain from peace threatening policies
what we get in return from the sovereign
rights granted by the sovereign unless our lives are threatened because of the sovereign in which case we regain the rights of nature
duties to the sovereign
obedience to them and their laws, unless they harm us they should be obeyed
negatives of the monarchy
a parliament more effective/fair than a single will, silencing dissenters makes rebellion more likely, surely elections are more fair than a monarch serving for life
negatives of the social contract
we didnt actually sign it, doesnt it benefit the sovereign/business owners more than others, if the sovereign is justified by their ruling on our behalf doesnt this need to be equal
should we rebel?
its implicit in Hobbes theory that we should only recognise the authority on the basis of self interest - so when it is against this should it be fine to rebel?
