MMW 14 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Social Contract, Montesquieu, Sapere Aude
Document Summary
Concepts: state of nature; sovereignty as a basis of modern politics; the courage to know / use o(cid:374)e(cid:859)s o(cid:449)(cid:374) reaso(cid:374); li(cid:373)its of reaso(cid:374) (pu(cid:271)li(cid:272) (cid:448)s. pri(cid:448)ate uses of reason) Different religious traditions have different understandings of enlightenment (buddhism, First time elected councilors opposed and beheaded the king. People in the same country fighting each other over religious beliefs: thirty years war (17th c) The "(selfish) natural condition of mankind" is what would exist if there were no government, no civilization, no laws, and no common power to restrain human nature. Life in the state of nature is "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short. " Forms the basis of understanding what sovereign power is: natural right(s) Rights determined to be given to everyone regardless of circumstances: laws of nature accessed by reason (peace and contract) Such a law affirms human self-preservation and condemns acts destructive to human life.
