Both Hobbes And Locke Can Be Considered The “Founding...

Both Hobbes and Locke can be considered the â€Å"Founding Fathers† of liberal political philosophy. Both theorists give their own accounts of human nature as well as how and what their concept of a government should look like. Hobbes and Locke also agree on most aspects of each other’s theories but also have contrasting opinions for their own notions. Hobbes’s conception of the best fitting government in which humans would be able to live freely and happily, would be that which is governed by an all - powerful sovereign. Locke rejects Hobbes’s political solution and claims that the best political regime would be a creation of a limited form of government, which can be seen today in the United States. Hobbes and Locke give their own†¦show more content†¦There will always be someone with a unique quality that he or she specializes in. For an example, there may be someone who is athletically fit compares to others, or someone that is more beautiful or smarter than the rest of the general population. These natural traits do not produce any sort of natural hierarchy. What sets the basis of a destabilized environment is when the individual starts believing himself to be more knowledgeable than the rest of the population. What eventually follows suit is that all men start to believe they are wiser over one another. The events in which to catastrophe, comes from the quest for personal desires. If our desires are similar to those of Almansoori 3 our neighbor’s and the object of desire is scarce, there will conflict. This conflict will surely lead to the threat of our self – preservation. If the opponent is triumphant and manages to kill or subjugate another individual in order to acquire his possessions, the same misfortune will most definitely happen to him and the vicious circle will continue to operate. Hobbes gives us his account of the laws of nature. He claims that it is most rational that people create a social contract with an institution in which would provide stability and peace. People that have obliged to the social contract would then continue to acquire and pursue their desires. John Locke’s account for the state of nature contrasts greatly with that of Thomas Hobbes.Show MoreRelatedThomas Hobbes And John Locke Essay2508 Words   |  11 Pages Hobbes, Locke and the meaning of the English civil war Thomas Hobbes and john Locke are considered some of the most influential people in Political thought. Both men lived during and around the time of the English civil war. It can be assumed that this event had a profound effect on each man’s perspective and thinking. Locke and Hobbes do differ on their ideas and beliefs. Hobbes living through the civil war was a supporter of an absolute monarchy. Locke believed in what can be seen as a representativeRead MoreThe Enlightenment And The American Revolution2027 Words   |  9 Pagesespecially that small group of men, most people call The Founding Fathers, may help us understand the driving principles behind both the Revolution, and the subsequent evolution, or creation, of the United States of America. Enlightenment thinkers were innovators. They questioned all theories that were undeniably correct (at the time). Among these philosophers were Charles-Louis Montesquieu, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Voltaire, Thomas Hobbes, and John Locke. These five philosophers would eventually set downRead MoreThe Declaration Of Independence And Independence3280 Words   |  14 Pageswriters of the Declaration of Independence? Who are our founding fathers and where did they receive these great ideas? I will examine the main writer of the Declaration of Independence Thomas Jefferson and look at the sources he used to begin our country. If Thomas Jefferson was a student at the United States Sergeant Major Academy, and he submitted his Declaration of Independence to turn it in would he pass? Were our founding fathers even great thinkers or were they just taking the advice ofRead MoreThe Social Contract Theory Of Society1900 Words   |  8 PagesThomas Hobbes is known as the father of the Social Contr act . He was the first theorist to introduce this agreement. His theory was actually published in 1651 in Leviathan during the Civil War in Britain . As time went on a theorist arose, a man named John Locke. Along with him having a different perception of the social contract theory compared to Thomas Hobbes, he also had a different view on what the state of nature was. Locke was actually the most influential theorist to the founding fathers, specificallyRead MoreThe Reign of Bush-Obama and their Power Essay1386 Words   |  6 Pages Many argue that the most powerful branch in government is the Executive Branch. The President is considered as the most influential and the most important position in the U.S. government. However, the powers granted to Presidents and the prerogative they have exerted are not listed in the Constitution but instead have been adapted and expanded upon by each President. Although the Constitution does not define the powers of the President, it has defined P residential powers in terms of peace, war,Read MoreComparing Thomas Hobbes And John Locke Essay3502 Words   |  15 PagesComparing Thomas Hobbes and John Locke’s views concerning what life is like in a state of nature we can see that the two-theorist’s share opposite views in making an assumption of what the sate of nature is like. Thomas Hobbes’ views include pessimistic views of nature and how its effects can influence man to selfishly consider what he would need to do to secure his safety while John Locke presents a natural concept that assumes there is a universal thought of good that man is aware of. AttemptingRead MorePolitical Science 1 midterm exam Essay3426 Words   |  14 Pagesstimulate B’s political behavior. It is important because Policy: a plan or course of action, as of a government, political party, or business, intended to influence and determine decisions, actions, and other matters. e.g.: Hamilton: a founding father of the U.S., and he was the first Secretary of the Treasury during 1789 to 1795. e.g.: New Jersey: a state of the east-central U.S. on the Atlantic Ocean. It was admitted as of one of the original Thirteen Colonies in 1787. e.g.: Virginia:Read MoreThe Role of Civil Society in Democracy2277 Words   |  10 Pagesis common to detect an undertone, a rush of voices clamoring for purchase in the debate regarding how the country will be governed. It is my belief that this undertone is the footprint of civil society, a segment of democratic societies that often can be difficult to identify. Much has been said about how difficult civil society is to define. However, as I read the various definitions and came to my own conclusion, it seemed to me that we should look at civil society as the vital foundation on whichRead MoreJohn Locke And The Enlightenment Era2187 Words   |  9 Pagesinnovation for the world we humans live on. Ranging from Thomas Hobbes to Rousseau, the Enlightenment Era has revealed many brilliant minds, including the best philosopher of the said time, John Locke. A philosopher and a physician, John Locke was introducing ideas that to others, seemed ridiculous; however, these ideas and beliefs are the ideas that have led our society to the current state we live in. The influence and principles of John Locke had maintained a solid foundation throughout his years heRead MorePolitical Philosophy and Plato Essay9254 Words   |  38 Pagesis most strongly felt today in the use of the scientific method, in which hypothesis is the first stage. The development and practice of this method is one of Socrates most enduring contributions, and is a key factor in earning his mantle as the father of political philosophy, ethics or moral philosophy, and as a figurehead of all the central themes in Western philosophy. To illustrate the use of the Socratic method; a series of questions are posed to help a person or group to determine their underlying