PHIL103 Contractualism & Social Contract Theory

What is contractualism?

Morality is made by rational beings for a mutual advantage- an agreement between people because there is more to gain than not

What is Hobbes State of Nature?

Hypothetical: autonomous people with no rules, politics or government

What did Hobbes think of the SoN?

He thought it would be a constant war because no one had duties, obligation or trust to not harm another for their own benefit

How could one escape the SoN with two methods?

Corporation: assurance that no harm will be done with each other and a method of enforcing mutual agreements amongst each other

What is the social contract theory? (situation)

Is the situation where production and security is enough to be altrustic. Rational agents will accept rules if they mutually benefit all. Hobbes thought government needed to be all powerful

4 strengths of social contract theory?

• Explains why it is advantageous to follow moral rules

• Explains why it is wrong to break rules on reciprocity

• Clear limits on what morality expects from an agent

• Solves the problem of the nature of morality: it rests on rules rather than facts or feelings

Weaknesses of social contract theory?

• No signed documents leading to arguments of being not worthy

• A lack of reciprocity to creatures who can’t participate in the contract i.e babies and animals, leaving them out of the realm of moral consideration