From Nature to Society Essay - 1872 Words

From Nature to Society In 1690, John Locke laid the groundwork for his philosophy on civil society in his Second Treatise of Government. Sixty-five years later, in France, Jean Jacques Rousseau set out on a similar endeavor, attempting to deconstruct the social contract to the point to which it could be more easily interpreted. For their own purposes, the two political philosophers used similar terminology, most notably the â€Å"state of nature.† It is evident that Rousseau borrowed a great deal of Locke’s conceptions and even quotes Locke a few times in his Discourse on the Origins of Inequality. The two, however, construct some fundamental differences in their own perceived states of nature which ultimately lead to a differing opinion on†¦show more content†¦By establishing equality as a value of paramount importance, he can lay the framework for those issues which lead to dispute among men and eventually, toward civil society. For him, these issues are health, liberty, and posse ssions (or more familiarly, property). Locke’s state of nature begs for the preservation of life, liberty, health, limb, and goods of another, unless taking one of these things away â€Å"be to do justice to an offender† (Locke 9). In the state of nature, one finds a semblance of civil society. Locke believes that every individual has the right to punish the transgressors of the law of nature so long as the punishment hinders the violation of the law. His state of perfect equality among men clearly demands this. There lies within nature no superiority, no judge, and no great body which makes legal decisions. Therefore, he demands that every individual be judge in his own case and executioner of the law. Clearly, there arises a problem, one which Locke meets head on: â€Å"self-love will make men partial to themselves and their friends†¦ I easily grant, that civil government is the proper remedy for the inconveniencies of the state of nature†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Locke 12). The issue of civil government and i ts development from the state of nature will be addressed later in this paper, but it should be noted here that Locke maintains that civil government attempts to address the ills thatShow MoreRelatedNature Vs. Society : A Timeless Discrepancy1626 Words   |  7 PagesNature vs. Society: a Timeless Discrepancy Research has proven that different environments can impact our bodies in different ways. What one sees, hears, and experiences can significantly alter their mood. In an unpleasant environment, one will feel stressed, sad and tired. A positive environment, such as nature, can completely reverse those emotions. Regardless of one s background, culture or age, humans find nature to be pleasing. 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