Contractarianism: Hobbes

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Contractarianism Hobbes
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Modern Political Philosophy and the Enlightenment

• Time of revolutions in science and politics
• Reason and science vs. faith
• Political philosophy dominated by idea of consent

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Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679)

• English political philosopher
• Educated at Oxford
• To found deductive science of human nature and
  politics
• English Civil War (1642-1648)

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Human nature andGood and evil

• Human psychology and physiology make us
  self-interested
• Lack of objective knowledge implies right reason
  is social
• Good/evil is subjective
• Humans neither good nor evil by nature

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The State of Nature

• Equality of humans in the state of nature
• Equality of hope to attain ones ends
• Three causes of quarrel
• competition
• diffidence
• glory

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Prisoners Dilemma

• Prisoner 2
• Confess
  Dont Confess
• Confess 10yrs, 10yrs free, life
• Pris 1
• Dont life, free 1yr,
  1yr

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Assumptions that make state of nature a war of
all against all

• Humans are selfish
• Humans are roughly equal in ability
• Resources scarce
• No natural sense of justice
• Humans are capable of reasoning strategically

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Laws of nature

• Right of nature -- natural liberty to preserve
  ourselves
• Law of nature -- precept of reason leads us to
  do what is rational to best preserve ourselves
• Fundamental law of nature make peace if others
  will, otherwise use all advantages of war.

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Laws of nature

• Second law of nature lay down our rights if
  others are willing to do so be contented with as
  much liberty against others as one allows against
  oneself

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Contract

• Mutual transfer of rights
• Covenants promise to perform later
• Covenants without coercive power are void
• Justice requires existence of valid covenants

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The Foole

• The Foole hath said in his heart, there is no
  such thing as Justice
• Hobbes response
• irrational to do something with small probability
  of success
• bad reputation too costly

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Institution and Authorization of the Sovereign

• Sovereign person authorized by the multitude
  to keep the peace
• Subject everyone else
• Authorization subjects covenant to make the
  sovereigns actions their own

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Hobbes Social Contract

• Between the subjects sovereign not included
• Powers of sovereignty authorized
• form of government fixed
• power irretrievably vested in sovereign
• sovereign beyond justice
• sovereign determines property, justice, honors,
  censorship, use of force

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Objection

• The sovereigns power is arbitrary and therefore
  unjustifiable.
• What would Hobbes response be?
• What is your view?