LEVIATHAN by; Hobbes

OverviewWhat is Social Contract Theory?Who was Thomas Hobbes?What was Hobbes’ view of man and the state

of nature?What is this thing Hobbes calls Leviathan?

The Social ContractPolitical theory concerning political authority

and legitimacySpeaks of the basis for and scope of

political powerKey Elements: the state of nature (and

thereby, the nature of man)

Thomas HobbesBorn in 1588, Died in 1679Oxford-educated Englishman and political

philosopherOne of the first social contract theoristsFamous work: Leviathan

The State of Nature

“Homo lupus hominis”The state of nature is a state of war: the war

of every man against every manHence, life is “solitary (alone,lonly), poor, nasty,

brutish and short.”

Human NatureMan possesses natural desires and

aversions.(strongdislike)

Man lives to satisfy his desires, which are insatiable

In particular, men desire powerDesire for power is the principal cause of

difference among men

The Laws of NatureMan is naturally averse to destroying

his lifeMan will be willing to lay down his right

to all things if others do the sameMen perform the covenants they make

with their fellows

Leviathan

Book of Job 40:7

LeviathanEmbodiment of the greatest political

powerArises when:

Individuals voluntarily renounce their right to all things

Individuals bestow power upon an individual/group of individuals to exercise authority over them

Leviathan (cont’d)Leviathan (the commonwealth)

possesses sovereign authorityThe sovereign is the author of all law

and the basis of all justiceSubjects are bound to abide by the law

absolutely

Leviathan (cont’d+)Subjects only possess liberty under the

lawThat subjects possess liberties does not

diminish sovereign power Under the law, everything is legal unless

otherwise proscribed

LessonsGovernments arise voluntarily among

men.They represent vicarious(has done) consent

from the people.Governments are necessary to enforce

order among men.Hence they must possess power in order

to keep such order.

Beyond Freedom and Dignity

Beyond Freedom and Dignity

In Beyond Freedom and Dignity, • behavioral psychologist B. F. Skinner summarized his

ideas about the nature of science, the techniques for controlling human behavior, and the possibility of building a happier and more stable society.

• Convinced that all human behavior is determined by environment and biology, he denied the existence of free will (or freedom) and moral autonomy (or dignity).

• Indeed, he held that illusions about their existence are harmful, because they militate against the establishment of an effective technology to eliminate harmful forms of behavior.

Beyond Freedom and Dignity

• Skinner confidently proclaimed that, because of modern science, engineering a better society is entirely possible and that, once established, such a society would produce people who voluntarily pursue policies that promote survival.

• In particular, citizens would embrace limitations on population growth and restrictions on practices that damage the environment.

Beyond Freedom and Dignity

• With confidence in the engineering skills of those who would design and control the community, he was happy to give these benevolent engineers the power to change “the conditions under which men live and, hence, [to engage] in the control of human behavior.”

• The key term for Skinner was “operant,” by which he referred to any nonreflexive behavior that reacts to the environment and produces reinforcing effects. Although every operant exists naturally, it tends to.

End People in Behaviorism and works• Ivan Pavlov- classical conditioning.

• B.F. Skinner- Operant Conditioning

• John B. Watson- classical conditioning

• Realism and materialism

• Behaviorism as phil. Of educ.

• Methods and curriculum

• Role of teacher

• The leviathan

• Beyond freedom and dignity