Lectures (Video)
- 1. Introduction: What is Political Philosophy?
- 2. Socratic Citizenship: Plato, Apology
- 3. Socratic Citizenship: Plato, Crito
- 4. Philosophers and Kings: Plato, Republic, I-II
- 5. Philosophers and Kings: Plato, Republic, III-IV
- 6. Philosophers and Kings: Plato, Republic, V
- 7. The Mixed Regime and the Rule of Law: Aristotle, Politics, I, III
- 8. The Mixed Regime and the Rule of Law: Aristotle, Politics, IV
- 9. The Mixed Regime and the Rule of Law: Aristotle, Politics, VII
- 10. New Modes and Orders: Machiavelli, The Prince
- 11. New Modes and Orders: Machiavelli, The Prince II
- 12. The Sovereign State: Hobbes, Leviathan
- 13. The Sovereign State: Hobbes, Leviathan II
- 14. The Sovereign State: Hobbes, Leviathan III
- 15. Constitutional Government: Locke, Second Treatise
- 16. Constitutional Government: Locke, Second Treatise II
- 17. Constitutional Government: Locke, Second Treatise III
- 18. Democracy and Participation: Rousseau, Discourse
- 19. Democracy and Participation: Rousseau, Discourse II
- 20. Democracy and Participation: Rousseau, Social Contract
- 21. Democratic Statecraft: Tocqueville, Democracy in America
- 22. Democratic Statecraft: Tocqueville, Democracy in America II
- 23. Democratic Statecraft: Tocqueville, Democracy in America III
- 24. In Defense of Politics
Introduction to Political Philosophy - Lecture 13
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Lecture 13 - The Sovereign State: Hobbes, Leviathan II
Hobbes' most famous metaphor, that of "the state of nature," is explained. It can be understood as the condition of human life in the absence of authority or anyone to impose rules, laws, and order. The concept of the individual is also discussed on Hobbesian terms, according to which the fundamental characteristics of the human beings are the capacity to exercise will and the ability to choose. Hobbes, as a moralist, concludes that the laws of nature, or "precepts of reason," forbid us from doing anything destructive in life.
Prof. Steven B. Smith
PLSC 114 Introduction to Political Philosophy, Fall 2006 (Yale University: Open Yale) http://oyc.yale.edu Date accessed: 2008-12-29 License: Creative Commons BY-NC-SA |
