Social Contract and State of Nature

What is the "State of Nature" as described by philosophers?

• A time when people lived under strict government rule.

• A hypothetical time before kings, presidents, or formal laws.

According to Thomas Hobbes, what is the basic nature of humankind in the State of Nature?

• Cooperation and mutual respect.

• Fear, insecurity, death, and turmoil.

Why did people, according to Hobbes, decide to surrender some basic rights to a sovereign entity?

• To gain more personal freedom.

• To escape constant terror and gain protection.

How did Jean-Jacques Rousseau's view of natural man in the State of Nature differ from Hobbes'?

• Rousseau believed natural man was inherently aggressive and competitive.

• Rousseau saw natural man as independent, solitary, and peaceful.

According to Rousseau, what led to inequalities and tension after the State of Nature?

• The creation of agriculture, private property, and division of labor.

• A sudden change in human biological nature.

What is the "Social Contract" defined as in the video?

• A written agreement between nations.

• The consent to be ruled.

Do people need the government to keep them in line or should people be able to do as they wish?