Hobbes establishes a definite picture of what human beings represent. He believes that they do not have special rights, although one can be entitled to everything simultaneously, as any moral order is non-existent (Lawhead, 2014). Humans are egoists who lack sympathy for others, driven by the desire to survive (Lawhead, 2014). Thus, they either want peace or the means to defend themselves, as the natural state is that of fear (Lawhead, 2014). Consequently, humans are willing to restrict themselves to pursue their best interests (Lawhead, 2014). Overall, human nature is selfish, and following any rules would be for personal gain.
Hobbes is realistic in his views, which is reflected in how he treats nature and physical facts. The philosopher does not idolize the former, believing it to be rather hostile, as humans have to survive (Lawhead, 2014). Then, he emphasizes physical facts over a moral order, insisting that people create laws based on reality rather than spiritual ideas (Lawhead, 2014). Lastly, what does not make Hobbes cynical is his advocacy for social conventions, which are the means for survival and peace (Lawhead, 2014). Altogether, Hobbes is realistic, relying on facts and prioritizing a social explanation of the government over divine rights.
According to Hobbes, human beings create a government to survive. They abandon their rights to live peacefully, allowing a sovereign or an assembly to preside over them to make everyone abide by the agreement (Lawhead, 2014). The government alone decides what is lawful to prevent anarchy, which appears antagonistic to the state of peace (Lawhead, 2014). Having a division of power is a sign of weakness, and Hobbes’ contemporary events informed him of its dangers. Generally, peace is achieved by creating a government and forsaking individual rights in favor of one entity to ensure humans’ chaos-less existence.
Reference
Lawhead, W. F. (2014). The voyage of discovery: A historical introduction to philosophy (4th ed.). Cengage Learning.