PHL275H5 Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: Rationality
Document Summary
Hobbes would agree with that there are no valid covenants without a common power that can enfore them. Third law of nature: men perform their covenants made . But covenants are valid only if the fear of non performance has been banished. So validity of covenants begins when there is a civil power that can keep them in check. So there"s no justice or injustice before there is a common power. When there is a common power, people effectively transfer their rights to a sovereign. Where then is a common power, people give up their right to judge for themselves what is right. No justice because one should never give up one"s own reason. Keep one"s covenants only when in one"s interest. Fool thinks that there"s no justice because he thinks we are better off breaking covenant when it"s in our interest do so. Rationality is from the point of view or deliberation.
