Question

Hobbes introduces a rather bleak account of Human Nature and describes the “natural condition of mankind” in detail. Briefly introduce each followed by a discussion of how, according to Hobbes, the state of nature (or the “natural condition of mankind”) arises as a consequence of his account of human nature.

Answer 1

According to Hobbes, the three main principles that form the nature of mankind are:

1) Competition:

Competition makes people crave for things and invade other people for their own gain. They strive to become the owners of possessions that are not their own.

2) Diffidence:

By diffidence, people try to protect or safeguard their own things and defend or protect them.

3) Glory:

Glory makes people crave for trifles or possessions, in the form of a mention or a praise or a word of appreciation within friends or family or the society or at one's work place.

Hobbes says that the state of human nature is when people are in war against one another, a constant state of war, where people try to constantly destroy one another in their constant strive to achieve power. He says the humans won't ever be content with the power they have acquired and will continue to crave for more.