Key Concepts from Thomas Hobbes' Leviathan

Background on Thomas Hobbes

• Birth and Early Life: Born in 1588 in Malmesbury, England. His mother gave birth to twins: himself and fear.

• Family History: His father was a disgraced vicar who fled England after a brawl outside his own church.

• Historical Context: Wrote Leviathan during the English Civil Wars (1642-1651), a time of social and political upheaval.

Key Themes of Leviathan

Method of Science

• Problem Identified: There exists a well-defined science for the natural world, but not one for explaining the political world. Hobbes aimed to describe politics with the same objectivity as the natural sciences.

• Definition of Science: "The consequences of words that are rightly joined together."

• Words must be capable of being understood to have meaning in a scientific context.

• Misunderstanding Science: Incorrectly joined definitions can lead to contradictory significations, thus invalidating the scientific method.

Science of the Body Politic

• Types of Motion:

• Vital Motion: Involuntary, biological functions.

• Voluntary Motion: Actions taken by individuals based on desire.

• Concepts of Good and Evil:

• Good: Object of appetites (what one desires).

• Evil: Object of aversions (what one wishes to avoid).

State of Nature

• Nature of Humanity: Hobbes attempts to outline the natural state of humanity—pre-societal existence characterized by complete freedom but resulting in conflict.

• State of Nature is a State of War: Without political authority, individuals act based on their own needs, leading to perpetual conflict.

• Natural Equality: All individuals are equal in three ways:

1. Strength: The weak can kill the strong.

2. Prudence: Everyone assumes equal wisdom.

3. Ability: Everyone can pursue their desires.

Laws of Nature

• Right of Nature: The liberty to do what one deems necessary for survival.

• First Law of Nature: Everyone should seek, and if it cannot be obtained, they are entitled to use the means necessary for self-defense.

• Second Law of Nature: Individuals must relinquish certain rights to a common power to ensure mutual protection.

Justice and Injustice in the State of Nature

• Justice: Nonexistent in the state of nature; right and wrong hold no meaning where there is no common power.

• Actions are only unjust if they violate a common law.

• Example Analysis: Hobbes states that without a common power, neither right nor wrong can exist.

Sovereignty

• Definition:

1. Right to Command: The authority to dictate actions to subjects.

2. Exclusivity: Only the sovereign possesses the right to enforce laws.

3. Unconditionality: The sovereign cannot lose its rights.

Ideal Government Structure

• Types of Government: Monarchy, Democracy, Aristocracy. Hobbes advocates for Monarchy due to the alignment of sovereign and people interests.

Freedom

• Definition of a Freemen: One who is free to pursue actions not hindered by external forces, reflecting Hobbes' concept of corporeal liberty.

Conclusion

• Hobbes refutes the ideas of ancient philosophers regarding the 'good life', emphasizing the need for a strong, centralized authority to maintain peace and order in society.

Background on Thomas Hobbes

• Birth and Early Life: Born in 1588 in Malmesbury, England, Thomas Hobbes was one of the prominent philosophers of the 17th century. His mother gave birth to twins, him and fear, indicating a life often influenced by anxiety and instability.

• Family History: His father, a disgraced vicar, fled England after a brawl outside his own church, leaving Hobbes to grow up in a tumultuous environment. This background possibly shaped his views on authority and governance.

• Historical Context: Hobbes wrote Leviathan during the English Civil Wars (1642-1651), a time marked by social and political upheaval. The struggle between monarchy and Parliament heavily influenced his thoughts on social contracts and the necessity of a powerful sovereign.

Key Themes of Leviathan

Method of Science

• Problem Identified: Hobbes recognized that while natural sciences had established methods, political philosophy lacked such rigorous structures. He endeavored to apply scientific reasoning to political discourse, aspiring to articulate a system of governance with the same precision used in scientific inquiry.

• Definition of Science: He defined science as the "consequences of words that are rightly joined together," emphasizing clarity in language and logical reasoning as foundational to meaningful political thought.

• Misunderstanding Science: Hobbes warned that misconstrued definitions could lead to contradictory interpretations, ultimately undermining scientific validity and hamper effective governance.

Science of the Body Politic

• Types of Motion: Hobbes differentiated between two main types of motion to metaphorically describe political dynamics:

• Vital Motion: Involuntary actions that sustain life, akin to the biological processes of a living entity (the state).

• Voluntary Motion: Actions driven by individual desires reflecting personal ambitions and societal interactions.

• Concepts of Good and Evil: In Hobbes’ framework:

• Good: Anything that serves as an object of appetite—essentially what individuals strive for.

• Evil: Any object of aversion—what individuals seek to avoid or flee from.

State of Nature

• Nature of Humanity: Hobbes meticulously laid out the concept of the state of nature, a theoretical condition in which humanity exists prior to the formation of structured societies. He posited that this state is characterized primarily by absolute freedom, which paradoxically leads to conflict and insecurity among individuals.

• State of Nature is a State of War: Without overarching political authority, individuals act solely for their self-interest, resulting in an intrinsic cycle of violence and strife.

• Natural Equality: Hobbes asserted that all individuals possess a form of equality in three crucial aspects:

1. Strength: Even the weakest individual has the capacity to kill the strongest, emphasizing the fragility of power.

2. Prudence: There exists an assumption of equal wisdom among individuals, which can lead to miscalculations in social interactions.

3. Ability: Individuals are equally capable of pursuing their desires, leading to competition.

Laws of Nature

• Right of Nature: Hobbes articulated that individuals have the liberty to do anything they see as necessary to ensure their survival—this is their natural right.

• First Law of Nature: The fundamental principle that individuals should seek peace; if peace cannot be achieved, they are entitled to take up arms for self-defense.

• Second Law of Nature: In pursuit of social harmony, individuals must concede certain rights to a common authority, facilitating mutual protection and the enforcement of peace.

Justice and Injustice in the State of Nature

• Justice: In the absence of a governing power, Hobbes argued that concepts of justice and injustice are meaningless; right and wrong do not have applicability without a common power to enforce laws that protect property and personal safety.

• Example Analysis: He asserted that without a social contract and a common authority, neither justice nor injustice can truly exist—actions are only deemed unjust when they violate established laws.

Sovereignty

• Definition: Hobbes defined sovereignty through three key components:

1. Right to Command: The sovereign has the authority to dictate actions and enforce compliance among subjects.

2. Exclusivity: The sovereign is the sole entity entitled to enact and enforce laws, leaving no space for rival power structures.

3. Unconditionality: The sovereign’s rights cannot be taken away or diminished, ensuring stability and continuity in governance.

Ideal Government Structure

• Types of Government: Hobbes classified governments into three types: Monarchy, Democracy, and Aristocracy. He advocated that a strong Monarchy is optimal as it aligns the interests of the sovereign with the people, making governance more effective and stable.

Freedom

• Definition of a Freemen: Hobbes defined a free man as one who is capable of pursuing his actions without interference from external forces, underscoring his notion of corporeal liberty—freedom being defined by the absence of physical constraints from others.

Conclusion

• Hobbes firmly rejected the philosophical traditions of ancient thinkers concerning the notion of the 'good life'. He posited that to maintain peace and order within society, there is a crucial need for a powerful, centralized authority—one that can suppress innate human tendencies toward conflict and chaos.