PHILOSOPHER OF THE WEEK Thomas Hobbes Content ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ Background and History Major Contributions Relation to the Course Case: Exploration Case: Relation to Ethical Insights Discussion Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) - Born on the 5th of April 1588, Westport, England - Private tutor for aristocratic families (Cavendish Family) - Involvement in political circles - Involvement in the scientific field - Contribution to political philosophy - Leviathan Major Contributions - 1640: Elements of Law, Nature and Politics 1642: Leviathan - - Social Contract Theory State of Nature Elements of Philosophy (Trilogy) - 1655: De corpe 1658: De Homine 1642: De Cive State of Nature No laws, no police and no courts > no good 1. Equality of need > food, clothes 2. Scarcity of products > not enough 3. Essential equality of human power > who will get what 4. Limited altruism > people care about themselves Constant state of war The Social Contract “ Morality consists in the set of rules, governing behavior, that rational people will accept, on the condition that others accept them as well”. - We must agree not to harm > “The social contract” - We have to work together - There is no “real contract” nobody actually signed it Case: Logan Paul in “the suicide forest” - 22-year-old American social media entertainer / vlogger - 15 million YouTube subscribers 16 million Instagram followers Young audience - Controversial video: “Suicide Forest”, Japan - After the video - - “yo, are you alive” Apology, apology, apology.. Raising suicide awareness YouTube cut ties “Logan Paul killed his own YouTube channel” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuSN_l9zKhA&t=106s Was Logan's action immoral? Violating Hobbes’ Social Contract: - (International) Law Youtube regulations Contract with audience? => There is no mutual benefit, thus no morality Critique & Ethical Question Is there really no morality when there are no rules? Was there an actual "state of nature"? Is there anything that is moral about Logan Paul and his action? Discussion Is there anything that is moral about Logan Paul and his action? - Do you think he indeed did violate the social contract? - Can you come up with any argument in favor of his action? References Hobbes, T. (2006). Leviathan. A&C Black. Hobbes, T. (2013). Elements of law, natural and political. Routledge. Summary of Hobbes’ Political and Ethical Theories. (2018). Reason and Meaning. Retrieved 13 February 2018, from https://reasonandmeaning.com/2015/05/01/hobbes-political-and-ethical-theories-in-two-pages/ Rachels, J., & Rachels, S. (2012). The Elements of Moral Philosophy (7th edition). New York, McGraw-Hill. (various chapters)
