Are Hobbes theories of Politics on a Sicence of Human Nature as Essay

Are Hobbes theories of Politics on a Sicence of Human Nature as scientific as he might like to think - Essay Example This research will begin with the biography of Thomas Hobbes. Born in 1588, Hobbes was an English philosopher who worked extensively in political philosophy. His work was so influential that it formed the foundation for political philosophy that follows the social contract theory. The writings and viewpoints of Hobbes are often considered to be depressing and a very negative consideration of human nature and political systems as a whole. He believed that the only way for humans to survive effectively was in a society that had a sovereign who had absolute power, due to the fact that conflict is a necessary component of human nature. However, his theory was based around his knowledge and experience with society at one particular point in human history, and did not consider the possibility of sovereign power being misused. Because of this, his theories are not scientific in nature, and cannot reasonably be applied to current society. Hobbes is often considered to be the founding father of current political philosophy, and his ideas have influenced debates and discussion of human nature and politics since his own time and through to the present day. His proposal that human society requires a sovereign who has complete power and is the only source of political decision-making, is supported by few. However, many of the ideas that Hobbes presented are fascinating especially in modern times where people strive for independence and question any form of authority. Hobbes work was detailed, and he presented his proposals and theories clearly, backing them up with examinations of human nature and what he considered to drive human actions. ... There are many different approaches to this, with some people believing that human nature is purely innate, others that it is the result of choice and still others believing in a combination of the two factors. For Hobbes, his work focused primarily on how politics affected human nature, and how human nature affected politics. Hobbes was one of many theorists that forwarded the idea of an innate fixed human nature, and his viewpoint was predominantly individualistic. Hobbes’ most famous work is the Leviathan and the publication argued many of his points and theories in depth. This book set about to define what drives the actions of humans and to develop a model for their motivation and how humans can be organized into society. Specifically, much of Hobbes’ focus in the book was political Unlike many of his contemporises, Hobbes’ focus cam from his study of physics, and he believed that action in humans was result of mechanical reactions to inputs from their sense s. He considered that this came about through impulses that were guided both by instinct and human volition . Throughout his work, Hobbes deeply examines human nature and all aspects of the mind and the relationship between the mind and the body. He considers factors such as imagination, perception, reason and emotion, and uses this information to provide a basis for his political arguments. One aspect of his theory is the power of the person, which Hobbes considers to include the ability to satisfy desires both now and in the future, as well as the ability to exert control over others. He considers it is essential that a person’s power compete with the power of other people. Through his work he argues for the