Human Nature, By John Locke Essay - 2201 Words

Human nature is a cruel mistress that depending on a person’s view on the world can be really on either ok or really bad. In only isolated situations does human nature lead people to do true good while in general human nature leads to bad decisions and equally bad results. Philosophers have all written about human nature in their commonwealths as well as in their imagined states of nature. Thomas Hobbes in his book, Levithan, and John Locke in his second treatise in his book, Two Treatises on Government, both talk extensively about human nature.The pair take two different approaches to explaining human nature. Hobbes argues that human nature is horrific which in turn makes the state of nature war in which people fear death and thus seek a covenant with a strong government to protect them from themselves. Locke, on the other hand, believes that human nature is not that bad and that people can live peacefully but eventually sign a contract to obtain a more comfortable life. Desp ite the fact that the two take very different stances on human nature, the true essence of human nature is a balanced mix of their two beliefs in which humans are not wholly bad but they still seek government to ensure their survival. This overall means that humans have the capacity to coexist but also realize that the self-governance is an ideal that they cannot match. Human nature can affect everything from the state of a government and all the way down to the natural rights of humans in the stateShow MoreRelatedHuman Nature, By John Locke2060 Words   |  9 PagesHuman nature is an enigma that many people have debated for centuries with some being more idealistic while others are very cynical. Many political philosophers have discussed these in their books as human nature is central to the development of a ideal republic that can properly rule. Thomas Hobbes in his book, Levithan, and John Locke in his second treatise in his book, Two Treatises on Government, both talk extensively about human nature.The pair take two different approaches to explaining humanRead MoreJohn Locke And David Locke : Human Nature Of Human Understanding1409 Words   |  6 PagesHuman nature of understanding is a widely world concept that is strangely adapted throughout the centuries. These concepts of human understanding were introduced in different by philosophers. Th ese philosophers, John Locke and David Hume, documented in their treatises how human nature of understanding works. In many arguments of reasoning, Locke reasons that human should be on the same level of thinking and knowledge in order to argue about an idea. David Hume believes that fact is a contradictionRead MoreJohn Locke s Views On Human Nature1602 Words   |  7 Pages James Madison and John Locke each created similar but somewhat different ideas about human nature. Whereas John Locke put more hope in human nature, Madison looked down on it with more critical analysis. Locke’s argument may provide few important points in general, but it is Madison who ultimately explained why people work in the specific way we see today and produce the government we enjoy. In fact, some of Locke’s arguments can be tied to Madison’s philosophy and be seen as useful explanationsRead MoreJohn Locke s Views On Human Nature Essay811 Words   |  4 Pages only a single ruler o r an absolute monarch had the power or omnipotent vision to sufficiently rule a civilization. Whereas Locke saw a civilization that can be ruled in a democracy and every individual had a say in how the civilization can be ruled. Moreover, Hobbes’ outlook on human nature was generally bleak, most of his ideas were derived from the basis that all humans were, in fact, evil and that given the opportunity, a person would act on his or her own behalf before tending to the needsRead MoreJohn Locke And Plato s Views On Human Nature1339 Words   |  6 PagesHuman Nature Human nature or man’s behavior in nature is a widely discussed topic in philosophy. Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Plato are among some of the many philosophers that have covered this topic in detail. John Locke expressed a generous view of human behavior. He states, â€Å"All mankind†¦ Being all equal and independent no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty, or possessions. â€Å"1 . This quote refers to human nature, which is heavily discussed by John Locke. Locke is not theRead MoreComparison of Thomas Hobbes and John Locke: Human Nature Essay1375 Words   |  6 Pagesunderlying premises of human nature–equality, egotism, and competition–result in a universal war among men in their natural state. In order to escape anarchy, Hobbes employs an absolute sovereignty. The people willingly enter a social contract with one another, relinquishing their rights to the sovereign. For Hobbes, only the omnipotent sovereign or â€Å"Leviathan† will ensure mankind’s safety and security. The following essay will, firstly, examine Hobbes’ pessimistic premises of human nature (equality, egotismRead MoreThe American Constitution And The Bill Of Rights1463 Words   |  6 PagesAddressing conventional teachings and qualities denoted the Enlightenment; there was a prominent propensity towards independence and accentuation on the thoughts of human advance. The American Constitution and the Bill of Rights are both results of the Enlightenment and thoughts of the philosophes, specifically John Locke. Thomas Hobbes and John Locke were both English philosophers,influential thinkers of the seventeenth century, both had confidence in a Social Contract and they both distributed books thatRead MoreJohn Locke And The State Of Nature Essay1206 Words   |  5 Pageswritings of philosopher, John Locke. John Locke lived during the Enlightenment, a period where people explored to establish their natural rights in revolutionary acts. The Second Treatise of Government is one of John Locke’s most renowned pieces in which many of his thoughts of human rights, government and property inspired many revolutionary activists to use them as a foundation for their own newly found government. In the first few chapters of this notable work, Locke discusses many ideas suchRead MorePolitical Philosophy in the 17th Century947 Words   |  4 Pagestoday. John Locke, a philosopher, Thomas Hobbes, a political philosopher, and Bishop Bossuet, a theologist and bishop, are three people from the 17th century whose views has set courses in history. Locke, Hobbes, and Bossuet had answers to what kind of government was needed to fit human nature. These characters of history have influenced many regions of the world during its time; to learn what they believed will help explain why. Locke, Hobbes and Bossuet had different views on human nature. BossuetRead MoreViews of Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau815 Words   |  4 PagesArden Bentley AP Euro 3/9/13 Thomas Hobbes, John Locke and Jean-Racques Rosseau were philosophers who stated their belief of human nature and how we should govern mankind. Although Rousseau was born a different time than Hobbes and Locke, they all had a very strong influence on the way governments should function. They created a revolutionary idea of the state of nature, the way men were before a government came into play. Each philosopher developed guidelines and responsibilities that the government