Perspectives on
Human Nature and
Government
Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau
Opening Questions
Are humans inherently good? Why?
 What makes humans good/bad? Why?
 Why do we have/need government or
rules for society (if we even do)?
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Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679)
• Social order is created by
humans. Therefore, they can
change it.
Without government, society would be
solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short!
Thomas Hobbes
• People need order.
• People will be willing to give up
individual liberties to maintain
peace.
• The social contract is an agreement to
obey the laws.
• But, human nature will not allow this to
happen!
• Thus, the need for authoritarian government.
John Locke (1632-1704)
• Locke observed that, in society,
people were rewarded based upon
their industriousness.
• But, people should not accumulate
too much money, otherwise society
could become a horrible place.
• He proposed (like Hobbes before
him) that people needed a sense of
order. But how to achieve order
while maximizing individual
liberties?
John Locke
• Locke stressed the moral
imperative that prevented
humans from pursuing a freefor-all.
• A moral imperative is a
principle originating inside a
person's mind that compels
him to act.
John Locke
In Locke's philosophy, tabula rasa is the
theory that data is added to the human
mind and rules for processing are formed
solely by one's sensory experiences.
 As understood by Locke, tabula rasa
emphasizes the individual's freedom to
author his or her own soul. Each individual
is free to define the content of his or her
character.
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Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778)
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Human nature is basically good
Admired the noble savage –
humans living in a state of
simple freedom governing
themselves; compassionate
Society & civilization are
corrupting forces on the
individual
Society robs us of our freedom
& makes us “bloodthirsty”
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
• Agreed with Hobbes’ Social Contract:
mutual agreement to protect the rights of
everyone; not only the wealthy.
• No person is above
the law.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
"Man is born
free; and
everywhere
he is in
chains."
Hobbes (1588-1679):
• Without government, society would be solitary, poor, nasty, brutish,
and short!
• Without society, man would live in a state of nature, where we each
have unlimited natural freedoms.
•Humanity needs the Social Contract in which individuals honor the
rights of others but lose certain freedoms. Unfortunately, human
nature will not allow this to happen (we are essentially greedy and
egocentric), thus, the need for authoritarian government.
 Locke (1632-1704):
-People need a sense of order.
•Humans are born as blank slates (tabula rasa), which means society can instill
proper morality, and thus, a conscience.
• Tabula rasa also implies self-determination and “nurture” in the nature vs.
nurture debate.
 Rousseau (1712-1778):
-Believed in the concept of the Noble Savage, in which humans come from a
state of compassionate simplicity.
-Believed that Human Nature is essentially good.
-Pride and civilization distance humanity from its original, natural state of
goodness. "Man is born free; and everywhere he is in chains."
-Agreed with Hobbes’ Social Contract, but felt more optimistic of its success.
Hobbes (1588-1679):
• Without government, society would be solitary, poor, nasty, brutish,
and short!
• Without society, man would live in a state of nature, where we each
have unlimited natural freedoms.
• State of nature leads to “Right to all things" and thus the freedom
to harm all who threaten one's own self-preservation
• Right to all Things leads to “War of all against all" (Bellum omnium
contra omnes), and thus chaos, anarchy, end of the world-type stuff.
• Humanity needs the Social Contract in which individuals honor the
rights of others but lose certain freedoms. Unfortunately, human
nature will not allow this to happen (we are essentially greedy and
egocentric), thus, the need for authoritarian government.
Locke (1632-1704):
• People need a sense of order.
• Society avoids chaos because of the Moral Imperative.
• The Moral Imperative is based on conscience (God).
• Humans are born as blank slates (tabula rasa), which
means society can instill proper morality, and thus, a
conscience.
• Tabula rasa also implies self-determination and
“nurture” in the nature vs. nurture debate.
Rousseau (1712-1778):
• Believed in the concept of the Noble Savage, in which
humans come from a state of compassionate simplicity.
• Believed that Human Nature is essentially good.
• Pride and civilization distance humanity from its original,
natural state of goodness. "Man is born free; and
everywhere he is in chains."
• Agreed with Hobbes’ Social Contract, but felt more
optimistic of its success.
Which theory does Shelley
seem to follow in Frankenstein?
Hobbes (1, 4): Humans inherently bad;
need society to balance competing selfinterests
 Locke (2, 5): Humans are blank slate;
morality can be instilled by society
 Rousseau (3,6): Humans are born good;
civilization drives us away from goodness
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In your groups…
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Generate an open-ended discussion question
about the monster that focuses on society,
nature v. nurture, etc.
As a group, answer your question from your
philosopher’s perspective and come up with
responses to others’ critiques of your argument
Each group will assign a leader to lead the class
in a brief (3-4 minute) discussion of your
question.