Social Contract Theory Thomas Hobbes 1588-1679 Leviathan Social Contract Theory

Three main components of Hobbes’s contract: Ontology of Persons State of Nature Laws of Nature

Ontology of Persons Account of what human beings are essentially like; what motivates human action. Self-preservation is a fundamental desire of all individuals There exists a natural equality amongst individuals

Passions, Conflict & Peace. War between individuals: caused by competition, diffidence (distrust), and a desire for glory. Desire for peace: fear of death, desire for commodious living, hope of attaining things by industry.

State of Nature Account of the natural state of man without any established authority, government or morality. Pre-social state of perpetual war of “all against all”.

Virtue of Force and Fraud “No. . . culture, navigation, commodious building, arts, letters, constant fear of violent death” “Solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short” No objective moral distinctions in the state of nature.

Laws of Nature Laws of nature are agreed to by all because they are rational, and remove individuals from the state of nature. Right of Nature – liberty each person has to preserve their life using whatever means our judgment or reason deem necessary. Laws of nature are established when individuals agree to give up their absolute right of nature.

Hobbes's Argument Law of nature tells us we must preserve our own life. Natural state of man is a war of all against all. In a state of war we have a right to everything in order to protect ourselves – including the person of another. Therefore, as long as the right of nature ‘endureth’ there cannot be security for anyone. Therefore, “Everyman ought to endeavor peace, as far as he has hope of attaining it, and when he cannot, seek and use all the advantages of war.

First Two Laws of Nature Seek peace and follow it. “That a man being willing, when others are so too, as far-forth as for peace and defense of himself he shall think it necessary to lay down his right to all things, and to be content with rights commensurate with those of others.”

Hobbes and Rational self-interest. Hobbes’ approach (argument) is one way contractarians have attempted to justify particular contract arrangements.

Prisoner’s Dilemma Agent A Confess Don’t 5/5 0/10 10/0 1/1 Agent B Assuming that your goal is to spend as little time in prison as possible, what should each of the prisoner’s do?

Advantages of the Contract Approach

What rules ought we to follow and how are they justified? A rule is moral provided that it results in protecting those things necessary for social living. A rule is justified if it is necessary if we are to cooperate for out mutual benefit.

Why is it reasonable to follow the moral rules? Because it is to our own advantage to do so, and because we want to be able to count on other people to do the same.

When can we break a moral rule? We are released (to some extent) from following the rules when other fail to follow it.

Does morality have an objective basis? Morality is a set of rules that rational people would agree to for mutual benefit – if the rules lead to the sought after outcome then they are “right”.

Additional Advantage of the Social Contract Justification of Civil Disobedience

The social contract gives a clear directive as to when we may violate the law: Our obligation to obey the law stems from our acceptance of certain burdens in return for certain benefits. When we are no longer receiving the benefits while still bearing the burdens (paying taxes, following the law etc.) we are justified in not obeying the law. Therefore, civil disobedience is justified.

Problems with the Social Contract Approach

Social Contract is based on a historical fiction. Do we need to follow a contract agreed upon by others? What happens to those who do not sign the contract?

How do we handle those who don’t/can’t participate in the social contract (e.g., non-human animals, mentally impaired humans, children)