Philosophy 1305F/G Lecture 11: Philosophy 1305F/G - Lecture 11.docx
Document Summary
The natural state (stripped of all positive law) becomes the civil state. The state exists in order to keep in line the desires and chaos of persons. We want to escape from this chaos in order to preserve ourselves. To maximize personal well-being, safety & security, and freedoms, to guarantee the equality and dignity of every being. We first must answer, what is the ultimate end of the human person: the state is an artifact or construct for the sake of the human person (the human person is not made for the state). While the state may be a necessary evil, it could also be a nurturer that comes to help us. Some would say that it limits our ability or potential to achieve our ultimate purpose or aim. Traditionally, the ultimate end has fallen into two camps: the common good (spiritual goods do not suffer exhaustion) - one"s gain is never another"s loss.