CJ 7

According to Hobbes, what are the three principal causes of quarrel in the state of nature?

Competition (gain), diffidence (safety), and glory (reputation).

How does Hobbes describe life in the state of nature?

"Solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short," marked by constant fear and war of every man against every man.

What is Hobbes' first law of nature?

To seek peace and follow it, using all means of self-defense if peace is unattainable.

What does Hobbes argue about justice and property in the state of nature?

Without a common power, there is no law, justice, or property. "Mine and thine" depend on what one can acquire and defend.

What solution does Hobbes propose to escape the state of nature?

A social contract where individuals surrender rights to a sovereign authority (Leviathan) for security.

What does Rousseau identify as the key source of inequality in society?

The establishment of private property ("The first man who enclosed land and said, 'This is mine'").

How does Rousseau characterize natural humans in the state of nature?

Solitary, self-sufficient, peaceful, guided by compassion, and free from societal corruption.

What natural virtue does Rousseau claim Hobbes overlooked?

Compassion (pitié), which tempers egoism and prevents unnecessary harm to others.

According to Rousseau, how does society affect human nature?

Society weakens humans, making them dependent, servile, and morally corrupt compared to their natural state.

What is Rousseau’s view of the "social contract" compared to Hobbes?

Rousseau criticizes existing social contracts as tools of oppression, arguing they entrench inequality. A legitimate contract should preserve collective freedom.

Contrast Hobbes' and Rousseau’s views on human nature.

Hobbes sees humans as selfish and conflict-driven; Rousseau sees them as inherently compassionate and corrupted by society.

What does Hobbes mean by "war of every man against every man"?

A state without governance where distrust and competition lead to perpetual conflict.

What is Rousseau’s famous metaphor for the origin of civil society?

The first person to claim land as property, convincing others to accept it, leading to inequality and social strife.

How do Hobbes and Rousseau differ on the role of reason?

Hobbes sees reason as a tool to seek peace via contracts; Rousseau associates reason with societal corruption and loss of natural virtue.

What does Rousseau mean by humans being "free" in the state of nature?

They are independent, unbound by societal hierarchies, and governed only by natural instincts like compassion.