Economics Dictionary of ArgumentsHome
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| Natural state: The natural state in philosophy is a hypothetical condition in which humans live without government or social order. It is often used as a starting point for thinking about the origins of society and the role of government. See also State, Government, Society, Community._____________Annotation: The above characterizations of concepts are neither definitions nor exhausting presentations of problems related to them. Instead, they are intended to give a short introduction to the contributions below. – Lexicon of Arguments. | |||
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John Locke on Natural State - Dictionary of Arguments
Höffe I 249 Natural State/Locks/Höffe: (...) Locke [understands] the natural state not as a thought experiment, but historically (...): early political units like Rome and Venice and every other "peaceful beginning of governments has been laid by the agreement of the people"(1). Reason: Locke, however, does not merely cite historical evidence, but rather invokes in argumentative ambiguity Höffe I 250 again and again a second instance, reason, which is "obviously on our side" (ibid.). Natural state: The state of nature consists in a "state of peace, goodwill, mutual assistance and preservation"(2). Unlike the older treaty theorists, Locke can define the state of nature so positively, almost idyllically, because he already places it under a law of nature, the moral law of nature. >Reason/Locke. Origin: By this Locke understands, as in the early experiments on the law of nature, an overly positive, absolutely binding practical norm of divine origin. Duties: According to its content, it is a duty that, according to Locke, is recognizable by both reason and revelation: the prohibition of harm. Hobbes: In Hobbes' natural state everyone has "a right to everything, even to the body of another" (3) which shows prevailing lawlessness. LockeVsHobbes: Locke, on the other hand, derives from the prohibition of damage the legal claim to the inviolability of the three basic goods: life, freedom and >property. With these thoughts he undoubtedly anticipates the basic conditions of the modern constitutional and legal state. Divine origin: With the reference to a divine origin, that is, an authority without any reason, he does not, however, like Hobbes (...), get involved in a deeper reasoning. Freedom: Because of the natural law mentioned, people live in the state of nature in "perfect freedom". Every human being is as an absolute lord of his or her own person and possessions:(4), equal to the gods and subject to no one. Nevertheless, he or she is subject to a restriction: only within the limits of natural law may the person direct his or her actions in such a way (principle of freedom) and dispose of his or her property (principle of possession/property) and his or her person (principle of life and limb) in the way that seems best to him or her. >War/Locke, >Social Contract/Locke. Höffe I 251 Pre-contractual state: Among the obligations that prevail in Locke's pre-contractual natural state is the right, in the absence of a public authority, to punish the violation of the relevant divine and natural commandments itself. Locke sees the only way out of leaving the natural state in the establishment of a political or civil society(5). It consists in a "political body", i.e. a state-like community that receives its legitimation by the free consent of its members, rational beings, i.e. by a social contract. >Social Contract/Locke. Höffe I 252 In Locke's case, the state of nature is not characterized by a latent war, as with previous treaty theorists, but by a twofold legal uncertainty: People do not always have enough power to enforce their rights, and if they do have the power, they run the risk of taking too much. 1. Locke, Second treatise of Government, 1689/90, § 104 2. Ibid. § 19 3. Hobbes, Leviathan I 14 4. Second treatise of Government, 1689/90, §123 5. Ibid., Chap. VII_____________Explanation of symbols: Roman numerals indicate the source, arabic numerals indicate the page number. The corresponding books are indicated on the right hand side. ((s)…): Comment by the sender of the contribution. Translations: Dictionary of Arguments The note [Concept/Author], [Author1]Vs[Author2] or [Author]Vs[term] resp. "problem:"/"solution:", "old:"/"new:" and "thesis:" is an addition from the Dictionary of Arguments. If a German edition is specified, the page numbers refer to this edition. |
Loc III J. Locke An Essay Concerning Human Understanding Höffe I Otfried Höffe Geschichte des politischen Denkens München 2016 |
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> Counter arguments against Locke
> Counter arguments in relation to Natural State
