Political Science 1020E Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Rationality, Thomas Hobbes
26 Mar 2016
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Leviathan 1651: argument for why we need the state. Fear and i were born twins: war. Thoerist of war life without state is a state of war: peace. What hobbes claims: worst scenario: no state protection, powerful state is needed to avoid disastrous interpersonal conflict. Without the state we"ll be killing each other: main premises: human nature. Being successful and getting what you want: power. Getting what you want: predominantly self-regarding, seek to enhance reputation. More likely to get what you want: averse to our own death. Keep themselves alive: equally vulnerable, equally able. Scarcity: no incentive to produce independently or with others. Uncertainty: everyone else is a potential threat, everyone has reason to attack before they get attacked. Three reasons to attack: competition: attack for gain, lack of trust: attack for safety, glory: attack for reputation. Continual fear, and danger of violent death; and the life of man, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short. hobbes, leviathan, chapter 13.
