thomas hobbes vs. john locke?

Question

who would locke and hobbes hold responsible for a father accidently leaving his child in a hot car

Answer 1

They would both hold the father responsible for his actions, accident or not. Hobbes mostly talks about responsibility to onesself and through the extention of the existence of many "selves" interacting in the world that we all have responsibilities toward each other in order to maintain harmony, which is in everyone's interest. Through this line of reasoning, he developed the idea of a social contract, and as a result of the practicalities of maintaining a social contract, we form governments that rule based on principles that are generally agree-upon by the populace. In our society, it's almost completely inexcusable for a father to have left his kid in a hot car, so the rules that we have agreed to live by in our society say the father has done wrong, and he's responsible for his actions.

Locke also believed in a social contract theory, but he held that the contract (which ultimately results in laws enacted by a government) was valid only as long as it followed the will of the people and protected life, liberty, and property. By locking his kid in the car, the father has endangered his child's life and hindered the child's liberty. Locke would not approve, and he would hold the father responsible.

Answer 2

Thomas Hobbes was basically the "bad guy" he believed that human nature was selfish in currupt, and therefore an absolute government is neccessary in order to keep the curruption limited to one person. John Locke believed humans were good in nature, and a democracy is neccessary to maximize the use of everyone in societies good nature.

Answer 3

This is an excellent question, one that deserves a lot of answers generated by intense reasoning and serious thought. So, rather than answer it here (in comics and animation) which would probably mean that I would be the only answerer and get best answer be default, I’d like to suggest you resubmit this question under humanities and philosophy.

21 APR 07, 0348 hrs, GMT.