Week 7
Part 1
1. Explain the laws of nature as described by Hobbes (two)
According to Hobbes the law of nature is encoded in our innate human faculties.
There are two of such laws that Hobbes asserts: the first one it is in the best interest
of every man to maintain as much peace as he himself would wish to have. If all men
were to seek this peace to the extent that they themselves need and benefit from it,
Hobbes argues that then all men would have peace. But in instances where one
cannot find peace even after he himself maintains it, he has a right to pursue it with
whatever mean possible. Thus follows Hobbes second law, that the mandate to
pursue peace is important and all of us are obligated to act upon all acts that might
take that peace away from us
2. Arendt describes Socrates in three ways. Using one of these examples, explain what
it illustrates about the activity of thought
Arendt describes Socrates as a model thinker not a professional thinker in that his
passions and thoughts do not necessarily try to establish guideline for actions but
able to apply both in each without difficulty. Arendt in her description of Soctrates
discovered that there is no sign of strong political and ideological motivations that
inform the actions of human beings even the most evil actions.
3. Briefly explain the two ways that Mills believes the racial contract is maintained
According to Mills the racial contract, which has effectively kept the white race on
top of the power pyramid is actually not an exception of the social contract but a
product of it. He argues that by framing the social contract in a way that benefits the
white Europeans over other racial groups the social contract is perpetually used to
retain the racial contract
Part 2
Compare and contrast the political systems of Hobbes and Rousseu. What do
individuals gain or loose in their respective forms of government? What criticisms if
any, would they have for each others govts
Hobbes system of government would have the following as its central thought: that the
government is simply in place to ensure that laws are followed by citizens and that those
who break those laws, what he called the social contract among citizens, are effectively
1
Part 1
1. Explain the laws of nature as described by Hobbes (two)
According to Hobbes the law of nature is encoded in our innate human faculties.
There are two of such laws that Hobbes asserts: the first one it is in the best interest
of every man to maintain as much peace as he himself would wish to have. If all men
were to seek this peace to the extent that they themselves need and benefit from it,
Hobbes argues that then all men would have peace. But in instances where one
cannot find peace even after he himself maintains it, he has a right to pursue it with
whatever mean possible. Thus follows Hobbes second law, that the mandate to
pursue peace is important and all of us are obligated to act upon all acts that might
take that peace away from us
2. Arendt describes Socrates in three ways. Using one of these examples, explain what
it illustrates about the activity of thought
Arendt describes Socrates as a model thinker not a professional thinker in that his
passions and thoughts do not necessarily try to establish guideline for actions but
able to apply both in each without difficulty. Arendt in her description of Soctrates
discovered that there is no sign of strong political and ideological motivations that
inform the actions of human beings even the most evil actions.
3. Briefly explain the two ways that Mills believes the racial contract is maintained
According to Mills the racial contract, which has effectively kept the white race on
top of the power pyramid is actually not an exception of the social contract but a
product of it. He argues that by framing the social contract in a way that benefits the
white Europeans over other racial groups the social contract is perpetually used to
retain the racial contract
Part 2
Compare and contrast the political systems of Hobbes and Rousseu. What do
individuals gain or loose in their respective forms of government? What criticisms if
any, would they have for each others govts
Hobbes system of government would have the following as its central thought: that the
government is simply in place to ensure that laws are followed by citizens and that those
who break those laws, what he called the social contract among citizens, are effectively
1
