THOMAS HOBBES (1588 – 1679)

- English philosopher – published Leviathan in 1651 and is considered one of the first modern political thinkers and was a “social contract thinker”

- Humans are matter in motion and we are moved by our appetites or desires which mainly consists of power and knowledge.

- We are obsessed with cause and effect relationships

- We use the results of these relationships to formulate knowledge

- Ethical Relativism

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THOMAS HOBBES (1588 – 1679)

- State of Nature

- The Need For a Sovereign

- Social Contract Theory

- Social Contract and the US Government

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JOHN LOCKE (1632 – 1704)

- English philosopher – published Two Treaties of Government in 1689 and is considered one of the “father of Modern Liberalism”

- The Empiricists

- The Autonomous Individual - Robert Filmer - use of Old Testament to legitimize absolute monarchies.

- Two Treaties of Government

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JOHN LOCKE (1632 – 1704)

- The Second Treaties -> Popular and Civil Rule- According to Locke, in the state of nature:

1) people were able to dispose of themselves and their property anyway they saw fit. However, there was a natural law given by God.

2) Locke also felt all humanity was equal, but due to the fact that we are God’s creation.

3) There has always been a natural law

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JOHN LOCKE (1632 – 1704)

- For Locke, society existed solely for the preservation of life, liberty, and the pursuit of property-> Natural Rights

-the original social contract had humans agreeing to forfeit their own right to enforce the natural laws.

- The Pursuit of Popular Sovereignty:Since society arose from the human decisions to leave the state of nature and incorporate with others so as to act as one body, society then can only be dissolved by foreign conquest. The government can be dissolved whenever that trust of the citizens dissolves, but government can not shut down society.

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Effects of Hobbes and Locke on US Government:

- Giving up certain appetites in order to foster peace and not anarchy (war of all with all).

- Popular Sovereignty and the ability to change a government

- Natural Rights -> Bill of Rights.

- The responsibility of the governed and the government

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