Thomas Hobbes and John Locke

Thomas Hobbes and John Locke

Thomas Hobbes

Introduction and Life of Thomas Hobbes

Hobbes's political philosophy

Levithan

The Life of Thomas Hobbes

Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) was an English philosopher known for his book "Leviathan" (1651). He studied at Oxford and traveled around Europe, meeting thinkers like Galileo and Descartes. Hobbes believed that without a strong government, human life would be chaotic and violent. His ideas influenced many later philosophers.

Hobbes's political philosophy

Thomas Hobbes was an important English philosopher known for his political ideas. His main concern was how to maintain social and political order. Hobbes saw the government as essential for ensuring safety and stability. He believed that without strong authority, life would be full of chaos and constant conflict. Although he recognized the pros and cons of different forms of government, he preferred monarchy because it could provide unity and continuity in leadership.

Leviathan

In his most famous work, "Leviathan" (1651), Hobbes presented his social contract theory, suggesting that peace and social cohesion are best achieved by creating a community under a common agreement. In this social contract, individuals agree to give up their natural rights to a central authority, as long as everyone else does the same. This absolute authority, represented by the "Leviathan," is responsible for maintaining peace and preventing civil war. Hobbes used the metaphor of the biblical sea monster to describe the power of the government, imagining the commonwealth as a giant human figure made up of the bodies of its citizens, with the sovereign as the head. He considered monarchy the ideal form of government, as it provided stable and unified leadership, avoiding the dangers of divided power.

John Locke

John Locke and British Empiricism

Two Treatises of Government

Rights and Revolution

John Locke and British Empiricism

John Locke (1632–1704) is often regarded as the founder of British Empiricism. In his work "An Essay Concerning Human Understanding" (1689), Locke analyzed the human mind and how it acquires knowledge. According to his theory, humans gain ideas through their experiences in the world. The mind then examines, compares, and combines these ideas in various ways. Knowledge consists of a special kind of relationship between different ideas.

Two Treatises of Government

Locke also wrote several works on political issues. In his "Two Treatises of Government" (1690), he argued that rulers have an obligation to respond to the needs and desires of the citizens who established the government. Furthermore, when forming a government, citizens renounce some, but not all, of their original rights. Therefore, no ruler can claim absolute power over every aspect of a citizen's life.

Rights and Revolution

Locke argued that a government that fails to protect the rights and interests of its citizens or oversteps its authority fails to fulfill its purpose. In such cases, citizens have the right to revolt and replace the existing government with one that ensures civil order while respecting individual rights. Locke's theory showed why individuals retain certain rights even under a government and why despotic governments that violate citizens' rights are bad. It also justified the right of citizens to revolt in instances where governments failed in certain ways. These powerful ideas remain important even today.