Student paper F991-02
Fall 1999, Section I
Reviewer comments

Human Progression in Life

Throughout the centuries humans have attempted to progress towards a more perfect form of state in their society. This is a process of evolution that has existed from the beginning. All things learn adapt and grow to their surroundings so they can survive and prosper. Humans do this to in every society on the planet. They take things from their surrounding habitat and use them for survival and their own well being. The technology for survival and for entertainment has advanced over time and has formed an idea of human progression. Many people have many different ideas on the progress of humans and the types of governments under which these people should be ruled. Over the centuries many great theologians have expressed many of their views on how society should progress and how it should be ruled. Some of the great one's in the 17th and 18th centuries such as Thomas Hobbes, John Locke and Jean Rousseau have captivated the minds of people and their ideas of government are often used in todays politics. In the 17th and 18th centuries many advances toward a perfect utopian society were attempted None of them really worked but they set the stage for the technological advances that have changed the way people look at the world. In this paper I will discuss some of the views of theologians and the advances towards a more perfect state in the 17th and 18th centuries.

One of the more prominent and well-known philosophers of the 17th and 18th centuries was a man by the name of Thomas Hobbes. He lived from 1588-1679 and was born in Malmesburry Wiltshire to clerical parents. He attended Oxford and then moved to France because he was scared of the civil war. He also lived life on the edge running from the king because of publishing his views. He also was in an argument with Descarte in a debate over his publish Discourse on method in 1637.

In 1651 Hobbes published a book called Leviathan. This book outlined with beliefs and theories on human nature. Hobbes believed that mens action were based on desires for material things. He believed everyone wants power and glory and will fight to get what they want. He also believed society should change and the old forms of education should be changed with the times so students could learn more. In the book Leviathan, Hobbes says men are competitive and will do anything to get what they want. This view Hobbes takes gains a lot of criticism from other philosophers of his time and was denounced by parliament. Hobbes was a man that believed in human progress toward a more perfect state and thought that changes should be made in society so people can gain more understanding and insight. He helped people to gain this by publishing his views and teaching his students how to gain this insight and understanding of the universe. Thomas Hobbes was a great teacher and philosopher that helped society progress to a more perfect state.

Another great philosopher of the 17th and 18th centuries was John Locke. John Locke lived from 1632-1704. He attended Oxford and did medical research and worked as a physician, political operative, economist and an ideologue for the revolution. He was also one of the greatest philosophers of his time. John Lockes views on the nature of man are that men are fair and basically good. His views were almost totally oppositc from Hobbes' views in that Hobbes thought men were basically evil natured. Locke believed men were good natured and were not born violent. He published many books outlining his views throughout his life. These books also outlined his beliefs in the perfect government. He believed that a government should give the people little bits and pieces of rights but not too many. He believed government was a very important part of society. For example in his book The Second Treatise of Civil Government he said "he that will not give just occasion to think that all government in the world is the product of only force and violence, and that men live together by no other rules but that of beast, where the strongest carries it.. must of necessity find another rise of government, another original of political power". John Locke was a very influential factor towards human progress in society. He has brought new ideas and theories to the attention of the public by publishing his work and getting other people to follow his bcliefs.

Another philosopher in the 17th and 18th centuries was a man by the name of Jean Jaques Rousseau. Rousseau was born in 1712 and died in 1778. He was a philosopher like Hobbes and Locke but he worked with other philosophers to answer questions and explain his theories. Rousseau believe in democracy as a form of government, where all the citizens of the state are equal in freedom. Rousseau believed that no one person or majority ruled society but that natural laws should govern the state. He believed that no one owned property but that it was there for them to live on and take its resources. Rousseau believed that all men are born good and that society forces them to adapt and evolve to survive. This is why men are violent or not kind to each other all of the time. He believes people are taught to be violent and are taught to hate. For example in the Discourse on Inequality No 2 it says "But from the moment one man began to stand in need of the help of another, from the moment it appeared advantageous to any one man to have enough provisions, equality disappeared, property was introduced, work became indispensable, and vast forests became smiling fields, which man had no water wi?h the sweat of his brow, and where slavery and misery were soon seen to germinate and grow up with the crops". He is saying man became to want too much and thus violence began. Rousseau believed the government should have no rights and the people or natural laws should rule. Rousseau thought that human progress causes an increase in evil inside of people and that in the beginning everyone was good.

These three philosophers all had different views of how the world and its human inhabitants should be. They all have different ideas on what a perfect state is but all agree that the human civilization is working towards something wether it be better or worse. These theoretical works given to us by these philosophers have changed how we view the world and see it through different viewpoints. These different viewpoints help people to understand what others may be thinking so they can be understood. This could lead to a more perfect state because understanding others is one of the keys to getting along with them. Mthough this is not true in all cases it is true in some and is a valuable source of information to most individuals.

In conclusion, society is constantly moving toward a more perfect state and many philosophers in the 17th and 18th centuries have influenced the progress. Society has come a long way since the 17th and 18th centuries and a lot of the changes have come do to new discoveries and theories just like the ones that Locke, Hobbes and Rousseau theorized. These were important discoveries to our lives today and will continue to be throughout time.

Bibliography

1. Modern History Sourcebook: Jean-Jacques Rousseau: Discourse on Inequality. No 2 http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/Rousseau-inequality2.html

2. Modern History Sourcebook: Jean Jacques Rousseau: The Social Contract, 1763 http://www.fordham.edu/halsal1/mod/Rousseau-soccon.html

3. Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679), http://www.caae.phil.cmu.edu/CAABI0130/part1/sect4/Hobbes.html

4. Modern History Sourcebook: Thomas Hobbes: Leviathan. Chaps 13-14.1651 http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/hobbes-lev13.html

5. Two Treatises of Government. Chapter II: Of the State of Nature http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1690locke-sel.html#ChapterII:OftheStateofNature

6. Some thoughts Concerning Education. http://www.forham.edu/halsall/mod/1692locke-education.html#SomeThoughtsConcerningEducation