What is meant by the state of nature?

The state of nature is a real or imagined state of human existence before people got together and formed a social contract to live in a political society. It is often used as a philosophical device to examine which rights people should have or not have in society.

What is the difference between Hobbes' state of nature and Locke's state of nature?

The difference between the states of nature proposed by Hobbes and Locke is the former had a very pessimistic view based on a belief in people's solely self-interested actions, while the latter had a more positive view that humans are naturally capable of using their self-restraint and reason to pursue a common good.

Do all philosophers believe in a state of nature?

Not all philosophers believe in a state of nature, notable critics of the idea include David Hume, Hegel, and Marx. Further, even those philosophers who do propose a state of nature are typically only doing so as a hypothetical examination of pre-societal rights and motivations.

State of Nature Timeline

Definition

The state of nature is an idea which became especially popular with certain philosophers during the Enlightenment, notably Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679), John Locke (1632-1704), and Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778). It refers to a state of existence before humans joined together to make formal societies when they gave up certain individual rights in favour of collective government by forming a social contract.

More about: State of Nature

Timeline

1651
Thomas Hobbes publishes his Leviathan.
1689
John Locke publishes his Essay Concerning Human Understanding, Two Treatises on Government, and Letters on Toleration.
1755
Jean-Jacques Rousseau publishes his Second Discourse.
1762
Jean-Jacques Rousseau publishes The Social Contract.
1971
John Rawls publishes his Theory of Justice.

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