Natural Condition Of Man example essay topic

Thomas Hobbes begins Leviathan with Book 1: Of Man, in which he builds, layer by layer, a foundation for his eventual argument that the "natural condition" of man, or one without sovereign control, is one of continuous war, violence, death, and fear. Hobbes's depiction of this state is the most famous passage in Leviathan: [D] using the time men live without a common Power to keep them all in awe, they are in a condition which is called Warre; and such a warre, as is of every man, against every man... In such condition, there is no place for industry... no Culture of the Earth; no Navigation... no commodious Building; no instruments of moving... no Knowledge of the face of the Earth; no account of Time; no Arts; no Letters; no Society; and which is worst of all, continual l fe are, and danger of violent death; And the life of man, solitary, poore, nasty, brutish, and short (I-13,186). The final sentence of that passage, "And the life of man, solitary, poore, nasty, brutish, and short", seems to sum up what Hobbes has been leading up to in the first twelve chapters of Leviathan: that without a sovereign power, without Leviathan, the natural life of man is simply horrible. It is a life in which people naturally and constantly seek to destroy one another. Sadly, I think Hobbes is correct, though clearly he was writing in the abstract.

While all people do have within them elements of both good and bad, as The Osmond Brothers said so succinctly in the 1970's, "one bad apple can spoil the whole darn bunch". Even if 99.99% of the population was good, pure, philanthropic, and just, it only takes one "evil" individual to upset everything. As Hobbes pointed out - everyone must make a singular commitment to have freedom from the natural condition. Hobbes tells us what that commitment must be, how to choose an alternative to a life of "warre". He writes that people must give up certain "natural" rights to a sovereign power. This sovereign is the head of the Leviathan, and as such, will create laws, act as judge, and defend the peace.

Of course, this concept only works if everyone participates in the social contract. And what would compel everyone to give up their natural rights, equally and simultaneously? Hobbes writes that "the Passions that enc line men to Peace, are Fear of Death; Desire of such things as are necessary to commodious living; and a Hope by their Industry to obtain them. And Reason suggest eth convenient Articles of Peace, upon which men may be drawn to agreement" (I-13,188). So, according to Hobbes, the two natural passions of man that are, essentially, going to save him, are fear and reason. Fear makes natural man want to escape the state of nature; reason shows him how to escape.

From Hobbes' Articles of Peace grew the "Natural Laws" as outlined in chapters 14 and 15. The first and most fundamental law of nature is, 'That every man, ought to endeavor Peace, as far re as he has hope of obtaining it; and when he cannot obtain it, that he may seek, and use, all helps, and advantages of Warre' (I-13,190). This stresses the general rule, "Seek Peace and Follow It". It also includes the natural right of men to defend themselves. The second law of nature is, 'That a man be willing, when others are so too, out of the desire for Peace and necessity for self-defense, to lay down the right to all things, and be content with so much liberty against other men, as he would allow other men against himself' (I-13,190). The right to liberty is not merely laid down, but is transferred to the Leviathan.

To answer the question: what is the remedy for "the life of man, solitary, poore, nasty, brutish, and short", Hobbes recommends that it is men succumbing to their fears, responding to reason, and offering their rights to a sovereign power, the Leviathan, to protect them.