WWT Locke & Hobbes Rough Draft
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Grand Valley State University *
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232
Subject
Philosophy
Date
Apr 3, 2024
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Pages
2
Uploaded by MasterBraveryWolverine25
WWT Locke & Hobbes Rough Draft
: “What are one or two reasons that Locke would be
critical of Hobbes’ social contract? Focus your answer around a key concept or two and include
at least one quote from Locke and one from Hobbes.”
Hobbes – An absolute sovereign to control and enforce laws to maintain a peaceful
society.
Locke – A government only exists by the consent of the people in order to protect your
basic rights and for the preservation of all of mankind.
1) A tentative thesis statement and a few sentences on how you think the paper will be
organized.
I believe that John Locke would be critical of Thomas Hobbes' social contract theory, particularly
due to their differing perspectives on human nature and the significance of consent in shaping
political authority.
And the way I would organize this paper would be that I would start with talking about the
differences in Hobbes and Lockes versions of the state of nature and of human nature. And then
I would talk about the idea of consent and how Locke would be critical of Hobbes’ for thinking of
consent as the whole group giving consent and not acknowledging the crucial role of individual
consent.
2) Two quotes that you will be using for the paper – typed out as you would use them.
Social Contract, Consent, Locke – “Men being, as has been said, by nature all free, equal, and
independent, no one can be put out of this estate, and subjected to the political power of
another, without his own consent. The only way whereby any one divests himself of his natural
liberty, and puts on the bonds of civil society, is by agreeing with other men to join and unite into
a community for their comfortable, safe, and peaceful living one amongst another, in a secure
enjoyment of their properties, and a greater security against any that aren’t of it.” (CH8, PARA
95/PG. 52)
Social Contract, Consent, & Absolute Sovereignty, Hobbes – “The only way to erect such a
Common Power, as may be able to defend them from the invasion of Foreigners, and the
injuries of one another, and thereby to secure in such sort, as that by their own industries, and
by the fruits of the Earth, they may nourish themselves…is to confer all their power and strength
upon one man, or upon one assembly of men, and that may reduce their wills…onto one
will…This is more than consent, or concord: it is a real untie of them all, in one and the same
person….” (CH.17, PG 227)
3) An explanation of why you have chosen those quotes, why you think they will help
you answer the paper prompt.
I chose these quotes because I believe that they both would help explain the two differences
that Locke and Hobbes have while talking about their social contracts, and both of these quotes
talked about consent and of a little bit of human nature which are the two points I would be
discussing in this essay. The second quote also talks about Hobbes absolute sovereignty idea
and I knew that I could talk about how Locke disagrees with the idea of absolute sovereignty.
4) A paragraph that explains (“unpacks”) at least one of the quotes in your own words.
In the second quote I chose, Hobbes talks about how the only way that we are able to live in a
peaceful world, where we don’t have to worry about the threats of invaders from neighboring
lands, or even threats within the nation itself, is to give up all of our rights. He believes that we
have to be willing to give consent to this man, or group of men, so that they have absolute
power and rule over us and everyone in this community. He believes that this absolute
sovereignty would prove the best outcome in keeping everyone peaceful, happy, and content.
And that being under absolute sovereignty would unite us all.
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