1 Social Contract Theories Soazig Le Bihan - University of Montana

2Introduction Reminder on Kant: What is morality? Social Contract Theories: -Foundation of morality -Legitimacy of government in the modern Western world  Hobbes: Morality based on self-interest! Hobbes, Kant and Rawls

3Outline From the state of nature to the social contract Morality and self-interest: the prisoner’s dilemma Advantages Conclusion Objections and Answers

4 The State of Nature State of nature = state of war ``of every man against every man” Why? 1- equality of need 2- scarcity of resources 3- equality of power 4- self interest  The state of nature is to be avoided! Why is it bad? “and the life of man, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short”

5 The Social Contract Foundation: Rational, self-interested people Components: 1 st law: each one protects oneself 2 nd law: give up the liberties when the others do too, in order to guarantee peaceful social living 3: Establishment of government necessary – receives the liberties that the citizen have given up  Entering the Social Contract is the best strategy to satisfy our own interests  Is it true?

6Outline From the state of nature to the social contract Morality and self-interest: the prisoner’s dilemma Objections and Answers Conclusion Advantages

7 The Prisoner Dilemma: (Flood and Mesmer 1950) The game:  Cooperation is the best rational choice in cases of inter-related interests Jones accuses S. Jones does not Smith accuses J. 5/510/0 Smith does not0/101/1 Rational answer for each prisoner: To accuse the other Result: worse for both than cooperation Game Theory

8Outline From the state of nature to the social contract Morality and self-interest: the prisoner’s dilemma Objections and Answers Conclusion Advantages

9 Advantages of Social Contract Theories 1. Foundation of moral social behavior: where the rules come from and why we follow them 2. Bounds on morality: -Private vs public life -Civil disobedience -No moral favors required  SCT restrict morality to the necessary rules for peaceful social living  Foundation of Democratic Governement

10Outline From the state of nature to the social contract Morality and self-interest: the prisoner’s dilemma Objections and Answers Conclusion Advantages

11 Objections and Answers Objections Answers Egoism (Hobbes) Impartiality (Kant, Rawls) Actual Contract (Hobbes) Implicit Contract (Kant, Rawls) No responsibility outside of contract (Hobbes)

12Outline From the state of nature to the social contract Morality and self-interest: the prisoner’s dilemma Objections and Answers Conclusion Advantages

13 Social Contract Theories Conclusion Deficient as a foundation of morality Moral behavior is more than rational behavior between rational agents Successful as a foundation of political authority Reminder: legal vs moral Obligations and Rights of citizens in modern democracies