StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...

What is Hobbes account of the good - Essay Example

Cite this document
Summary
Despite his contribution, there are challenges posed to his argument on what is good and what is evil. Based on his argument, our environment, which usually shapes our opinion, determines what we desire and what we hate. In actual sense, we do love thing that do not conflict with our opinions and are pleasing, and hate those, which do conflict with our opinions. …
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER91.1% of users find it useful
What is Hobbes account of the good
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "What is Hobbes account of the good"

Download file to see previous pages

Therefore, according to him, things are perceived to be good if the repercussions of undertaking it are pleasing to us. There are two forms of motion as described by Hobbes: vital motion, which runs through the entire existence span of a living creature such as the flow of blood and voluntary motion, which is processed through imagination, followed by execution of the thought. In defining what may be perceived as good, Hobbes argues that good usually produces a motion deep inside us; the motion experienced is referred to as ‘delight.

’ Sovereign states do play an important role in ensuring harmonious existence of different people. This is because the sovereign states have laws, which people have to abide to, failure to which they are to face punishment. In avoiding punishment, people try to avoid doing any act that is against the stipulated laws; thus, promoting harmony. Absence of such regulating authority would lead to people undertaking different activities based on their perceptions. For example, a man could sleep with anyone at any location and perceive it to be good because it brings forth delight to him.

How Hobbes’ account of the good is related to his account of the constitutions “of Man.” Hobbes account of the good is related to his account of constitution of man in that mechanical effects of their senses trigger human actions. According to Hobbes, a man uses his volition to direct his actions away from harmful or evil situations, and towards beneficial situations. Hobbes employs the word appetites as well as aversions to explain conflicting desires of a man. Some human appetites are natural for instance, food desires while others emanate from a man’s experiences.

Certain appetites emanate in the body of a man and are experienced as disruptions and sufferings that should be overcome. Therefore, every man is stimulated to act in a way that tends to ease his discomfort, safeguard and enhance his well-being. Similarly, a man’s actions are dictated by this innate inclination to easy the physical challenges which impinge upon his body. Desires for some ‘good’ changes with time, even though a man cease to survive if he ceases to have desires for good things.

In other words, it is the nature of man to search and desire for the ‘good’ such as wealth, power and diet to achieve satisfaction of his desires. A man’s power is a strategy to achieve a better future, ‘the good’. Human power is categorized into one natural power that comes from innate capacities of his mind and body such as strength, ability, artistic capability and brevity. Secondly, instrumental power that emanates from the acquired faculties as well as friends benefits, reputation or resources.

The enduring perpetual and endless appetites for power are an essential quality common to all human beings. Similarly, fear of powers and authorities of other people serves as a counterbalance for the power desires and prevents human beings from often competing to attain power. Addition, fear of death, war and accidents stimulates men to seek harmony (common good for all). Description of the distinctly social nature of the desires that are common to us There is impossibility for a people to live without desires just like the way they can live without imaginations.

Moreover, Hobbes describes happiness to a continual progress of desires, which is derived from one object to another, and achieving a path that leads to other paths in life. Nevertheless, the reasons behind this

...Download file to see next pages Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(“What is Hobbes account of the good Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words”, n.d.)
Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/philosophy/1469344-what-is-hobbes-account-of-the-good
(What Is Hobbes Account of the Good Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 Words)
https://studentshare.org/philosophy/1469344-what-is-hobbes-account-of-the-good.
“What Is Hobbes Account of the Good Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 Words”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/philosophy/1469344-what-is-hobbes-account-of-the-good.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF What is Hobbes account of the good

Hobbes and Absolute Sovereignty

hobbes and absolute Sovereignty hobbes and absolute sovereignty Thomas hobbes has been considered a great philosopher among the England philosophers.... During this period hobbes made revolutionary advancements in the field of philosophy.... Being argumentative and timid, some of the bibliographers claim that hobbes learned several languages in his early life and translated some books too although he hated the university....
9 Pages (2250 words) Essay

Historical Philosophers namely Hobbes, Paine and Plato

This report "Historical Philosophers namely hobbes, Paine and Plato" analyses the political theories each of the philosophers hobbes, Paine, and Plato have written throughout history and try to link these political theories with contemporary theories and politics.... hobbes is one of the most influential historical political philosophers.... His most influential work that hobbes wrote is Leviathan, in 1651.... The political theory that hobbes developed is based on three assumptions: (1) the existence of an original condition of "the state of nature," (2) the state is a man-made or artificial production, and (3) that the state is created by a social contract....
7 Pages (1750 words) Book Report/Review

How Far Does Hobbes Views of Human Nature Provide a Secure Basis for Psychology Today

As James has put it: “Hobbes grounds his account of this aspect of our passions on a broader notion which he calls power, identifying the powers of the body as nutritive, generative, and motive, and that of the mind as knowledge.... nbsp;… It is really quite essential to state that Hobbes views are modern from a psychological point of view, even in the postmodern world by the insistence on the need for a central authority of power and the desirability of mutually agreed restrictions of the pursuits after power for the common good for all....
8 Pages (2000 words) Coursework

Humes Account Of Justice

Hume points that single acts of justice mostly goes in contradiction with the public good, whereas the common experience teaches us that public good is achieved when justice is made as rule.... Hume's treatises analyze the nature of justice and injustice.... Hume projects that justice is an artificial virtue....
3 Pages (750 words) Essay

Hobbess Political Theory

Finally, I explore the theory of Plato who provides a way of how a good city can be established.... In the paper “hobbes's Political Theory” the author discusses the political theories and tries to link these political theories with contemporary theories and politics.... hellip; The author starts with the political theory that hobbes has written in 1651 in his masterpiece Leviathan in which he identifies three basic assumptions that hobbes uses for his political theory....
7 Pages (1750 words) Essay

Hobbes' and Locke's Understanding of the State of Nature and of Natural Law

Locke perceived mankind as naturally good and kind.... The perception of Locke on the government was founded only on serving the greater good or the public interest.... The author of the essay "hobbes' and Locke's Understanding of the State of Nature and of Natural Law" states that Thomas hobbes, an English philosopher in the 17th century, is generally considered as one of the most remarkable political thinkers.... hobbes is well-known for his intellectual work....
8 Pages (2000 words) Essay

The Theories of Thomas Hobbes

For example he said that some of us tend to perceive others as smarter or wiser than ourselves, however, what we fail to take into account is that the bulk of the people around us are more or less the same as ourselves, particularly in thought.... This essay is focused on the personality of Thomas hobbes and his ideas.... It is mentioned here that Thomas hobbes was a very well-known English mathematician, who is believed to have given the modern political system much of its current foundation....
5 Pages (1250 words) Essay

Machiavelli and Hobbes Assess Aristotles Polity

In the following paper “Machiavelli and hobbes Assess Aristotle's Polity” Aristotle's polity and Machiavelli and hobbes's theories on politics are discussed.... hellip; In the paper, there is a detailed discussion on how and why Machiavelli and hobbes's concepts on proper political legitimacy would not be parallel to Aristotle's application of human nature to produce adequate political schemes for each separate society.... Niccolo Machiavelli and Thomas hobbes put forward their views and solutions on each and each directly influenced political ideology immensely....
8 Pages (2000 words) Case Study
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us