TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title Page
Certification Dedication
Acknowledgements
Table of contents
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of the study
The statement of the problem
Purpose of the study
Significance of the study
Scope of the study
Methodology
Literature Review
Notes
CHAPTER TWO
HOBBES: THE BACKGROUND OF HIS POLITICAL THOUGHT.
2.1Hobbes’ Life and Philosophy
2.1.1Thomas Hobbes
2.1.2His works
2.2Influences on Hobbes
2.3Hobbes on Human Nature
2.4The Social Contract Theory
CHAPTER THREE
HOBBES CONCEPTION OF THE LEVIATHAN.
3.1Hobbes’s Leviathan
3.2The Contract and the power of the sovereign
3.3Individualism and liberalism
CHAPTER FOUR
SUMMARY OF HOBBES VIEW OF THE LEVIATHAN
4.1A Critical survey of the Hobbesian analysis of the leviathan
4.2Critical evaluation
4.2.1Positive aspect
4.2.2Negative aspect
Conclusion
Bibliography
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1THE BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
This
study is an attempt to examine the idea of the Leviathan in Thomas
Hobbes political philosophy. Before we discuss his philosophy of society
we need to know what was happening before he came.
There Was
the problem of the excessive use of power in the society.One could rule
in as much as he commanded obedience from others by the use of brute
power and force. This led to conflict and self-centeredness among
humans.
An attempt to escape from the above crisis led Hobbes to
postulate a common wealth or the state as a platform for organizing
human beings or what he called the Leviathan. The idea of the Leviathan
aimed at providing a means by which men can overcome the disorder in the
natural state.The people needed the state of nature, to fashion a
contract, giving all their power to one man who becomes the sovereign.
From
the above, the research question is this; Is the Leviathan construed
either as a ruler or a State able to solve the problem of insecurity,
self-centeredness and the egoism in the nature of man? Will the absolute
power embedded in a Leviathan not lead to tyranny and abuses? These are
some of the issues that this study intends to look into critically.
1.2STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The problem of this study can be put in question form:
Is
the Leviathan immune to the egoistic nature of man which he has been
chosen to guard against? Can the chaos and conflict which exists on the
state of nature be eliminated with the institution of the common wealth?
How does the Leviathan intend to tackle the problem of behaviorism and
human nature which is egoistic and self-centered in order to ensure a
peaceful human society wherein people will be law abiding? Will the
absolute power embedded in the sovereign not lead to tyranny,
totalitarianism and abuse? This project work tries to tackle some of
these questions.
1.3THE PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
This work
aims at critically analyzing the concept of the Leviathan. It also
attempt to proffer solutions to the problems identified in Hobbes
theory.This work studies Hobbes notion of the society and how human
beings can live together peacefully in a society. We may ask; how can
humans evolve a peaceful system where law and order are properly
defined?
1.4THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This study is
significant in the sense that it emphasizes the wider breath of Hobbes
conception of the leviathan. His intention is to capture all areas of
life with an attempt of reconstructing the society into a better one by
proffering the Leviathan. Effort will be made to review and apply his
concept of the Leviathan in examining the view of human nature as
egoistic and individualistic and how we can evolve a stable and viable
society from such a human nature.
1.5THE SCOPE OF THE STUDY
This
project work examines critically the concept of the Leviathan in Hobbes
social and political philosophy. It looks into other concepts like the
state of nature which led to the postulation of Leviathan. It advances
theory and knowledge by expanding the view of other social
contractarians in order to give a balanced view of our topic of study.
1.6METHODOLOGY
This
research work uses the method of critical analysis to examine the idea
of the Leviathan in Hobbes. The research tools to be used are archival
materials such as textbooks, encyclopedia and internet sources. By using
the critical method this study seeks to provide a systematic and
comprehensive understanding of the idea of the Leviathan and the extent
to which it can be a viable option for bringing about order, peace and
cooperation in the society.
1.7LITERATURE REVIEW
The
first book to be reviewed, is Thomas Hobbes Leviathan; by John
plamenatz. He argued that The Leviathan was “chosen or instituted when
men do agree and covenant every one that to whatsoever man or assembly
of men shall be given by the major part the right to present the person
of them all, that is to say to be their representative”.2 The Leviathan
ensures them living in peace amongst themselves and be protected against
other men.
The second book to be reviewed, is Elements of
Philosophy by Samuel Enoch Stumpf and Donald C. Abel. Here,the argument
is that the civil society created by the social contract must have power
to punish those who transgress the agreement. Convinced that fear is
the greatest motivator, the state must have sufficient positive power to
terrify its citizens into obedience3
The third book to be
reviewed is History of Political Thought by Anthony O. Okoh. Here there
is an argument for the provision of an absolute ruler The Leviathan.He
believed that it was only an absolute ruler that could tame the wicked
tendencies which exhibited in the state of nature4.
The fourth
book to be reviewed, is Philosophy Made Simple by Richard H.P.Here it
was understood that since sovereignty is created by a covenant or
contract, the subject retains all those natural rights that cannot be
transferred by covenant5 To put it differently, since the subject has
entered into the contract to preserve and protect his life, the subject
cannot refuse to obey the sovereign.
The fifth book to be
reviewed ,is Ethics: A Systematic and Historical Study by Joseph
Omoregbe. Here Hobbes argues that men decided to come together and form
an organized society since life was so in secured in the state of
nature. They came together, made a social contract, empowered the
sovereign to decide what should be done and what should not be done in
the society.