State of Nature: Moral, Political & Contract Philosophies - Essay Sample

Introduction

The state of nature entails moral as well as political philosophy, religion, and contract theories. Various philosophers of the state of nature theory deduced that time organizes the society with the presumption on civil society starting the emerging position and the possible reasons for civil society. The social contract theory reveals a lack of rights in the state of nature with freedom used to create fairness and obligations. The societies show the existing political state based on the cultural and social anthropology with the investigation of social and power-related structures for people living in the community (Zagorin, 2019). John Locke is one of the influential political philosophers of the modern period with his claims defending the nature of freedom and equality based on the natural subject. People have rights to live, liberty as well as property. According to Locke, individual rights reveals the foundation of the laws in society. Also, Thomas Hobbes's claims show the social contract theory as well as its development, which justifies the political principles for suitably situated rational, free, and equal individuals.

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From a Hobbesian perspective, the life for humans in the state of nature are explained based on the natural inequalities among humans. The state of view gives a clear sense of superiority as well as the constant fear of loss and violence among humans in society. Therefore, men live without conventional power, which keeps them in awe. In the state of nature, personal property and injustice are revealed based on the various laws of life, which show that every individual has to endeavor peace with the hops of obtaining liberty against another man (Shell, 2017). From Hobbes's perspective, the state of nature develops into a political society.

Besides, John Locke considers the state of nature with the claim that all individuals in the society are free to order their actions. The state of nature governs reasoning, thus teaching individuals that no one has to harm another in life. Locke describes the state of nature as well as civil society with the need to show the perpetual existence of the society forms the philosophical point of view.

Locke responds to Hobbes's claims while interpreting the concept of the state of nature in a variety of ways. The idea of civil society shows the authority with all people in the community put in a state of nature. With every individual in the society living according to the law, Locke's definition concludes the existence of the state of nature in the political authority with the rule of reason that accounts for the distinct political society (Zagorin, 2019). Therefore, the state of nature describes the relational concept of moral relations as well as responsibilities for the legitimate government. From Hobbes's theory of the state of nature, the natural laws that define the rights of individuals in society. Adequate characterization of people as free and equal represents the people in civil society.

Hobbes thinks that reasoning about life as well as a state of nature motivates individuals to join the civil society. According to Hobbes, people are likely to fare best in such a state as it allows one to act and judge intelligently. The civil society is the appropriate baseline against which judgment is justifiable. Hobbes insists that civil society is preferred as compared to the arbitrary power of the absolute sovereign (Elahi, 2016). Hobbes argued that the motivation for individuals to civil society is based on the normative assumptions with the mental and physical attributes that dominate others. Hobbes assumes that people are motivated towards the civil society to preserve their lives, local affections. It allows them to evaluate judgments while adopting religious beliefs that differ depending on the liberty right of nature.

According to Hobbes, sovereignty is based on the mutual covenant to obey a universal authority. Therefore, it plays a role in ensuring protection by promising obedience and equality. The underlying motivation for sovereignty involves political legitimacy, which is sufficient for protecting the consent to obey political obligation. Locke's political philosophy reveals the concept of approval, which plays a role in explaining the duty to obey the laws of the state and inheriting property. Hobbes's interpretation is sufficient for explaining the state of nature as compared to Locke. Hobbes used the social contract theory to arrive at the conclusions on the sovereign power as well as the impacts of political philosophy. However, Locke justifies the understanding of legitimate political as a result of social contract with the state of nature, ensuring stability and comfort.

Rousseau's Rejection of the Right to Private Property

Rousseau has a different version of the Social Contract than Locke and Hobbes. The main difference is his rejection of the right to private property. Rousseau contributes to the political philosophy of the society as well as moral psychology based on his influence on modern individuals. The concern of Rousseau is based on the work and finding the need to preserve human freedom with the satisfaction of needs. The interest in the material and psychological needs derive a sense of self form the freedom and destructive of individuals' opinions (Shell, 2017). Rousseau explores the origins of the state while seeking legitimacy and inquiry on the question of property. According to Locke and Hobbes, property rights arise from the elements of natural law. However, Rousseau asserts that social contract is essential for the creation as well as the legitimacy of property rights.

Although Locke asserts that private property precedes the state with the origin of the property traced form the physical actions, Rousseau finds nothing natural in the property right. Rousseau claims that property owners cannot exist before social contract, and it is not the product of reason or natural law but the culmination of the human mind. Rousseau, therefore, sketches the process by which the idea of property emerges whole, splitting the act of possession form moral rights and legitimacy. Rousseau believes that society has to be governed by the social contract with the sovereign rule favoring equality as property rights for Rousseau grant the nation the power to transfigure itself to attain civil justice.

Kant's Theory of Race

Kant's theory of race contributes to the interpretation of underpinning European racism. The approach calls for investigation as well as criticism on racism with racist remarks faced with considerable embarrassment. Currently, the European philosophy is faced up with the question of discrimination as well as exclusions and diversity. Kant's theory of race, therefore, reveals the problem of racism concerning philosophy.

From Kant's theory, the aspects of race and critical philosophy shows it from a different angle. The idea of systematic unity of nature, as well as the power of judgment, are revealed based on the quality of the society. Kant has led to the transformation from natural history to the working out of the fundamental problems of human races (Shell, 2017). Kant's theory of race articulated the solution to the various issues for the diversity of social aspects. Therefore, the argument determines the concepts of race as well as principles of purposiveness and development aspects.

Kant's theory of race justifies the presupposition based on the analysis reflecting on the power of judgment. It determines the concepts of the object prescribed by the rules with the representation of nature. The thoughts on nature provide the idea that addresses the possibility of the natural classificatory system of nature explicitly. Kant distinguished the logical and physical appearance based on the artificial and consistent classification of nature.

The relevant information for natural history reveals Kant's concerns. The universal nature reveals the problem of the knowledge of nature and human races. It investigates the original phenomenon as well as the specificity of the living organism.

The Connection for Smith Between Freedom and Capitalism

Smith presents a theory based on freedom and capitalism with the prospects for autonomy and self-esteem in society. Smith inspired capitalism critics while sorting out the freedom market society. As a result, the theory reveals various elements, including free-market society, as well as the liberating impact of the market. Smith's approach focuses on the natural tendency of humans for self-interest that results in prosperity (Nuri Yurdusev, 2016). Smith believes that human with freedom promotes public interest through economic choices. Also, pricing and distribution mechanism leads to the conceptual fallacies that framing as the invisible hand. The invisible hand distinguishes the entity while summing up the phenomena occurring when the consumers and producers engage. Insight of Smith in the idea of the invisible hand leads to justification for free-market ideologies. The hidden hand theory, therefore, leads to productivity as well as distribution based on the concept and function of government.

The government response to the invisible hand is based on the absence of the market mechanisms frustrating the planning of the government. The people and business individuals, therefore, make decisions based on the willingness to pay for the goods and services with the allocated resources for the valued ends. Government interference in the process leads to the massive loss. Therefore, the invisible hands limit the government, thus the need for a guide on voluntary economic activity on societal benefit for active government intervention. Smith portrays the free market economy that is a centerpiece of the economic theory, thus speaks out the financial dilemma. Smith also describes the system of production of goods, which outlines through the division of labor as well as the widening of the products produced. In Smith's scheme, capital accumulation led to the progression of the economy in agriculture as well as the manufacturing of commerce.

During this semester, Hobbes was one of the influential philosophers discussed based on what happens on the campus. According to the estimation by Hobbes, his political science demonstrated political truth. Hobbes showed the role of power in ensuring that human life organizes and directs the political problems (Elahi, 2016). Hobbes has changed the conception of human nature based on intellectual growth. The development of Hobbes for political thinking shows the shift of power in human life.

From the history of Western philosophy, the ideas of a select group in the campus have raised issues. Hobbes revealed the development of the substantial body which criticizes the claim on women. The critical appraisal on the views of race in college seeks to provide an alternative perspective regarding racism. Hobbes argued based on the religious notion of race in the campus, which concurs with the development of social contract theory and racist discourse. The modification is required to enlighten society on the people of color in college.

Hobbes also articulated various ideas regarding inferiority among the people of color in campus dorms. The non-Europeans are inferior, which Hobbes shows that it is associated with slavery and race. Enlightenment by Hobbes shows how race has influenced the modern period.

One thing I learned in this class this semester is the state of nature, which has been articulated by various philosophers, including Hobbes and Locke. The philosophers articulate the state of nature with the organized society that results in civil society. The state of nature, therefore, gives a clear sense of fear of loss. Therefore, every individual has a natural right to doing...