Thomas Hobbes: Leviathan Hobbes Begins with a Bleak Picture of Human Nature. on Human

question 6

Multiple Choice

Thomas Hobbes: Leviathan
Hobbes begins with a bleak picture of human nature. On his view, humans are governed by their selfish desires, with each person calling "good" the objects of his own desire. Because humans are roughly equal in bodily strength and mental faculties, each is roughly equal in his expectation of attaining that which he desires. This leads to competition for scarce goods, which in turn leads to distrust and eventually violence. The natural result, Hobbes claims, is a war of every man against every man, and a situation in which life is "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short." In such a state, there is no such thing as property and nothing is right or wrong, just or unjust. Every person is simply at liberty to do whatever they deem necessary for their own preservation.
Fortunately, Hobbes claims, we can discover by reason certain laws of nature, general principles that forbid us from doing what is destructive of our lives. The first of these tells us that we ought to seek peace insofar as it is available, and otherwise use whatever means we have to defend ourselves. From this principle, Hobbes claims, there follows a second: each of us should be willing to forfeit our right to all things and content ourselves with as much liberty against others as we are willing to allow them against us. The social contract that is thereby created is beneficial to all parties, as it secures each from harm by the others, requiring in return that each person refrain from harming others themselves. Enforcing such an agreement requires the establishment of a coercive power; otherwise people could engage in force and fraud without impunity. This coercive power establishes justice by ensuring that all parties keep their agreements.
-Hobbes claims that the first law of nature is:

• A) do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
• B) seek peace, and follow it.
• C) never treat another human being as a means to your ends.
• D) always do what brings the greatest amount of good.

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Definitions:

Restrictive Funds

Funds that are designated for a specific purpose by donor requirements or legal obligations, restricting general use by the recipient.

Collective Goods

Goods or services that provide benefits to all members of a community or society, typically provided by the government and not easily restricted to individual users.

Tangible Capital Assets

Physical assets owned by a firm that are used in its operations and likely to provide future economic benefits, including buildings, machinery, and equipment.

Government's Ability

The capacity of a government to implement policies, provide public services, and enforce laws effectively.