Essay Sample on Human Nature Is Optimistic

Human nature is pessimistic by voluntarily surrendering their freedoms and rights to a higher authority through a contact who demands obedience. Humans by nature, are naturally estranged from one another, only focusing on securing self-preservation and self-protection. Human nature is optimistic as it is filled with mutual assistance and goodwill guided by a state with moral values. Individuals are naturally estranged with the freedom to pursue their plans and interests with no restrictions imposed upon them. In this case, the restrictions require them to be social and, in turn, fight against each other. Humans are pessimistic since, even after every development stage, they succumb to challenges associated with change and evolution. Humans are naturally estranged from each other because they developed inventions and discoveries, especially the design of private property, a significant landmark in human progression from the pure and straightforward state into a situation involving vice, inequality, vanity, competition, and greed. The invention created a rift and eliminated the social character of humans. The inventions also created leisure time where individuals compared themselves to each other, causing contempt, pride, envy, shame, and public values.

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What does the “state of nature” look like in the philosopher’s mind? Man's life in the state of nature entailed selfishness and fear living in the chaotic state of continuous anxiety. Life became short, brutish, nasty, and miserable. He considered it a Golden Age, a state of preservation, mutual assistance, goodwill, and peace. Nature changes over time, and inventing property leads to humanity failing from grace and out of the state of nature surrendering our rights to the community in a state called the general will.

What motivates humans to lead to a state of nature? Humans are motivated by order and security to avoid pain and misery Independence of individuals to pursue whatever they want in life Evolution and change.

What basis is there for assuming all “men” are equal? All men seek what they deem to be their own individually considered best interests The lack of civil authority governing the people makes them equal to each other in their society. The general will entails the will of most individuals creating blind obedience, and the acceptance of the belief of the majority becomes supreme to that of the minority.

To what do humans agree in the social contract? Surrender of their liberties and rights for preservation of prosperity, life, and peace of all individuals. Right to maintain or preserve order, enforce the law of nature, and property protection. A novel design of social organization created to guarantee and assure equality, freedom, liberties, and rights.

Where does property come from? The state's Private property is developed from mixing personal labor with nature`s raw materials. Inventions

How did the time period influence the theorist’s ideas? The English civil war being the most vital moment of early modern England`s history, shaped his ideas on absolute authority being linked with the utter brutality of the state of nature. The establishment of civil government created restrictions and laws which governed the people with the property being used as an element of control. The Enlightenment period provided intellectual insight into his ideas

If we never signed a social contract, why should we feel bound by it? Our innate willingness to submit to political theory. The essential need for men to protect their property. The general will represents the will of the majority of people, even if the minority does not agree to it.

Under what conditions can we break the social contract? Lack of established order in the form of political authority such as the state government Government not limited by the constitution and lack of protection or upholding the natural rights of people. The loss of people`s sovereignty and no assurance of citizens liberty and freedom.