Thomas Hobbes uses the state of nature as the basis for his ethical and political thought. The state of nature is a postulation of an imaginary situation in which there is no form of government. People living in this state would be free to determine their lives as they please. The individual would be the judge, the jury and executioner of their own fate. In this state there is perpetual restlessness as everyone tries to gain power for purposes of self-preservation.
Hobbes equates human beings to any other physical object or machine whose operation and movement can be described in mechanistic terms. He uses this imagery to understand all human functions including complex emotional activities that involve the brain and the nervous system. The mechanistic description of human action simplifies the understanding of human perception of pain and pleasure. When the human machine experiences comfort, it is translated as pleasure, while discomfort is expressed as pain (Leviathan I 6). Each individual endeavors to pursue activities that will promote comfort and relief discomfort and pain. The ultimate goal comfort is to guarantee life preservation. Human volition is determined by the greatest, most pressing desire at every opportunity (Leviathan I 6).
Humans in the state of nature are free from any rules and restrictions from others. Everybody has the freedom to determine their existence. Nobody can complain about the pressures of human volition since everyone is free from external pressure and influences (Leviathan II 21). The state of war is the agitated version of the state of nature. Self-interest is the destruction force in the state of war. The animal nature of humans makes life brutish short and nasty. (Leviathan I13).
Life in the state of nature and war is governed by self-interest, survival, uninhibited desires and aversions. There is no such quality as absolute good. Each individual is good or evil depending on the desires and aversions they possess at any particular time. There is also no concept of injustice in the state of nature and war.
The commonwealth would secure all the liberties of its constituent citizens equally. The commonwealth introduces the concept of common law to guide human freedoms. The common authority present in the commonwealth ensures that individuals exercise their freedoms without interfering with the freedoms of others. Hobbes believes an orderly government does not curtail personal freedoms; instead, it promotes the achievement of all freedoms but without the violence and disorder present in the state of word.
The administration of the commonwealth operates on a basis of laws which require the cooperation of the subjects to succeed. The administration of order may be broken down into sections such as is present in modern day law enforcement and judicial systems. All deviant in society are pursued and subdued by this enforcement. The overall effect is complete social order and peace.
The fear of death was therefore the basis of Hobbes ethics. Humans use reason to recognize the laws of nature and its consequences to their lives. Human action is majorly motivated by the desire of self-preservation. They also employ passion as an emotion to align their desires to peace. When this power is relinquished to a sovereign authority, all ethical matters are also surrendered to the authority.
All subjects are expected to obey the sovereign since the decision to enter into a covenant is voluntary. The promise to obey the covenant amounts to a moral obligation to remain within the covenant. Individuals or are conquered and forced into a government are also forced to obey the covenant. Hobbes claims that promises made under duress are equally binding. The same apply to people who are born into pre-existing systems of government. The legitimacy of the sovereign is not depended on the source of power but on its ability to provide security to its subjects. The individual is free to leave the contract when the sovereign ceases to provide protection.
The absolute authority of the government is limited to a certain extent by the individual right to self-defense. Subjects can retain the right to defend themselves against the sovereign. This allows individuals to resist any orders and rules that place their lives in danger. An individual can also act in the interest of their family and loved ones. Hobbes terms these as the inalienable rights of each individual or the liberties of subjects.
Thomas Hobbes through his works creates a basis for equality in society. All men are equal in the state of nature and no man has authority over the other either by birth or by right. Hobbes also underscores the importance of representative power. He lays the foundations of democracy by introducing the concept of leadership by the people’s will. Finally, Hobbes places premium on free will and the right of individuals to do whatever the law does not forbid. To date, many philosophers still argue over the concepts of self-interest and voluntary cooperation with regard to political formation and the establishment of social order.
Hobbes though on ethics is accurate as far as the state of nature and war goes. This is because both states have never existed in reality. The fear of death as a basis for ethics is a strong motive but cannot be taken as the only motivation for ethics. Hobbes arguments present human beings as pessimists with no regard for the interests of others but themselves. This flies in the face of common human emotions such as love which makes some individuals to sacrifice their lives for others.
Another argument against Hobbes theory is his objectification of humans and personification of the Leviathan. Hobbes describes human beings as machines while the Leviathan is characterized as a human being. Independent human examination reveals no mechanistic operations such as cogs, wheels and pulleys. Even after describing humans as machines, Hobbes goes ahead to attribute several psychological characteristics them. This contradiction blurs the actual position Hobbes hold on human nature. The second argument is that there are no possible connections between the Leviathan and human characteristics. The only possible comparison would be the representation of the Leviathan as the head of the government, which is responsible for controlling the body.
Hobbes contradicts himself when he introduces the concept of individual liberties and the right to resist sovereign authority. Hobbes begins his works by underscoring the absolute power of the Leviathan. He pegs the success of the common wealth on the Leviathan’s right to wield power and control over the subjects. Absolute power denotes a situation in which there is authority vested in other entity but the sovereign. Individual rights conflict directly with the absoluteness of the sovereign power.
Ethics according to Hobbes is the result of egotistical considerations. Hobbes has little faith in human judgment and the ability of people to choose the interest of others over their own. He places more faith on the absolute authority and its power to guarantee social order. His observations limit human nature to a machine that requires the intervention of an all-powerful authority to exist in peace. Hobbes does not recognize that the sovereign power is run by humans and equally susceptible to the weaknesses inherent in human nature. Society has witnessed absolute authorities such as dictators cause havoc in their jurisdictions.
It is true that the decent life require a peaceful environment to thrive. The achievement of peaceful coexistence is arguably one of the greatest goals of human determination. Laws are necessary for the maintenance of peace. Human beings need laws and clear systems of enforcement to live peacefully. The biggest challenge to Hobbes’ theory is the balance between sovereign authority and personal freedoms. Either way, human though and action is motivated by the need for pleasure and the avoidance of pain.
Work Cited
Hobbes, Thomas. Leviathan, Parts I and Ii. New York: Liberal Arts Press, 1982. Print.
