1. LECTURER: ANDREAS PANAYIDES LECTURE 2 – HOBBES: THE STATE OF NATURE AND THE QUEST FOR SECURITY Introduction to Political Philosophy

2. The Quest for Security: Thomas Hobbes (1558-1679) The Quest for Security: Thomas Hobbes (1558-1679)

3. The State of Nature Typically, a hypothetical scenario: a natural condition without political authority The Function of the State of Nature To discover the value of the state by imagining life in its absence Methodological Individualism All forms of human association are artificial; must be explained in terms of the preferences and actions of individuals Human Nature The essential character of humanity. Related to fundamental human psychology and what are humans composed of

4. “In such condition, there is no place for Industry... no Culture of the Earth; no Navigation, nor use of the commodities that may be imported by Sea; no commodious Building, no Instruments of moving...no Knowledge of the face of the earth; no account of Time; no Arts; no Letters; no Society, and which is worst of all, continual feare, and danger of violent death; And the life of man solitary, poore, nasty, brutish, and short.” Hobbes, Leviathan (1651)

5. Voluntary action is caused by bodily passions or desires Life is a perpetual strife for satisfying desire Permanent satisfaction is not possible. “There is no such thing as perpetual tranquillity of mind...because life itself is but motion, and can never be without desire" The fundamental human motivation is the instinct of self-preservation; death is the ultimate frustration of desire Power is one’s “present means to obtain some future apparent Good” Human beings have “a restless desire of Power after power, that ceaseth only in Death”

6. Natural equality: “the weakest has strength enough to kill the strongest” Causes of Conflict Natural Equality→ Equality of Hope→ Competition over scarce resources Diffidence (suspicion) of others’ intentions when “arming”→ Pre-emptive strikes reasonable course of action Glory – reputation of power “Hereby it is manifest that, during the time men live without a common Power to keep them all in awe, they are in that condition which is called Warre; and such a warre, as is of every man, against every man.”

7. No positive law, no justice; no Right or Wrong In the SoN only the Right of Nature applies: a man has the right to use his own power, according to his own judgment, to the end of self-preservation Every man has a right to everything, including to another's body The term ‘right’ is used instrumentally For Hobbes reason is an instrument that allows us to calculate what actions to undertake in order to achieve our ends – these actions are right.

8. The Fundamental Law of Nature: “Every man, ought to endeavour Peace...and when he cannot obtain it, that he may...use, all helps, and advantages of Warre” The Second Law of Nature: A man should be willing, insofar as all others are willing too, to lay down as much of his natural liberty as needed for peace Third Law of Nature: Men must obey in perpetuity the contracts that they voluntarily enter. To break a voluntary agreement is irrational.

9. Testify against BSilent Prisoner A: life in prison Prisoner B: free Both get 2 years in prison Prisoner A: free Prisoner B: life in prison Both get 5 years in prison Testify against A Silent Prisoner A Prisoner B

10. The LoN without an enforcing agency are ineffective: "covenants, without the Sword, are but Words, and of no strength to secure a man at all" Consequently, a commonwealth with sovereign power is instituted by means of a Social Contract A commonwealth is instituted when “a multitude of men do agree, and covenant, every one, with every one, that to whatsoever man, or assembly of men, shall be given by the major part, the right to present the person of them all every one, as well he that voted for it, as he that voted against it, shall authorize all the actions and judgments, of that man or assembly of men, in the same manner, as if they were his own, to the end, to live peaceably amongst themselves, and be protected against other men”

11. Sole source of the legitimate use of power and the sole judge of what actions must be undertaken for the sake of preserving peace The Sovereign body can never be unjust as it alone is the source of Law The only natural right that a citizen preserves is his right of self-preservation One has the right to disobey the sovereign only when the sovereign acts in ways that threaten one’s survival