Essay on "Nature by Hobbe and Locke"

Essay 4 pages (1181 words) Sources: 2 Style: APA

[EXCERPT] . . . .

On this, Locke terms this law of nature as humankind's responsibility to exploit all means to safeguard his individualistic life as well as not to intentionally take part in jeopardizing another person's life or right to possession. The crucial turning point in the mode of reasoning between Locke and Hobbes emanates from their perception of human psychology. For instance, Hobbes argues out that it is the man inherent desires to want everything to himself that discounts the entire law of nature and makes single sovereign power indispensable undertaking. On the contrary, Locke argues out that man's inherent ideology of community consolidates the law of nature and makes it sufficiently powerful to exist on its own. Locke further asserts that man desire to live in the company of other fellow men is the driving force behind his sense of placing so much value on what other men think about him. In other words, any man who prioritizes his personal interests at the expense of the rights of his fellow humanity is considered to have acted in impunity. As such, he immediately triggers feeling of vengeance from the other men. Furthermore, such a man loses his respect from the rest of the members of in that community. This realization drives men to act naturally in compliance with the natural laws of nature (Locke, 2006).

Therefore, Locke argues, the state of nature is a state of freedom, insofar as no man is bound to obey any other, but it is not a state of "license," because the law of nature binds most men. Locke believes that the law of nature provides sufficient governance to allow men to coexist, but he allows that, for two reasons, this existence would not be completely without conflict. First, because every man interprets the law of nature individually, disputes over its specific applications might arise even between two logical and well-meaning people. Second, not every person is rational, and a minority of "degenerate" men would inevitably ignore the law of nature, and put the lives and property of the rest in danger. Because all are equal in the state of nature, every man holds the right to judge violations of natural law, and to punish the transgressor in proportion to the violation, at a level sufficient to provide compensation for harm caused, and incentive against future transgression. Unfortunately, men are not perfect, and they are motivated by both reason and emotion, making them poorly suited to act as judges and executioners in their own cases. They are likely to be biased in their own favor, and overzealous in punishment, causing a lack of justice, which Locke identifies as the great problem with the state of nature (Locke, 2006).

Locke further challenges the idea of commonwealth creating a civil society, as argued out by Hobbes, as fallacy. Instead, he asserts that this is would create a state of war. He bases his claim on natural where he argues out that man has the role of safeguarding his personal life. As such, he has the duty of preserving freedom since no man desires absolute control over a fellow man unless he intends to harm that man. Attempts to create absolute power are the surest way of triggering a state of war. Nobody wishes to be made a slave and attempts to make him one will be futile.

References

Locke, J. (2006). Second Treatise of Government. New York, NY: Mobile Reference.… READ MORE

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