Political Science 2237E Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: Thought Experiment, Indulgence, Ninety-Five Theses
22 Nov 2017
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English civil wars, 1642-1651: complicated relationships between monarchy, army and government. End of a monarchy and founding of new republic in england. Hobbes"s delicate political position: disliked by both the anti-monarchists and monarchists, wanted to study humans as a set of physical motions and processes, simply as physical beings in the world. Two primary qualities of human nature: self interested, anti-social, humans have an overwhelming fear of death. State of nature: state is created by mutual agreement by its members, before government, no laws or rules, human behaviour is unconstrained. Is the state of nature a real historical condition or event: thought experiment that is useful to explain why we need a certain kind of government, not a historical condition. No place for industry (ex. farming and creating things to have) The life of man in the state of nature: solitary, poor, nasty.
