Student Paper SP001-07
Spring 2000, Section I
Reviewer Comments

 

Dare to Believe

 

 

Early philosophers changed the way citizens thought. Before the Enlightenment period, many people accepted the way things were and did not question there being. Rene Descartes believes everyone is born with a good sense of their surroundings and everyone uses good judgment because it is what differentiates us from animals. Descartes wanted to devote his life to the truth so he would agree with others on social ideas because he could not find answers to the questions. "We think therefore we are."¹ Just because the people making up the rules are of the higher social class, does not mean they are right; especially when it comes too running the government.

 

Hobbes was a royalist who supported the Stewart kings. After the beheading of Charles I, Hobbes moved to Paris to write like most political refugees. Everyone is governed by his or her own reasoning. Hobbes believed that the more he learned the more ignorant he felt. Hobbes used his scientific thinking along with his reasoning to come up with his "ideal" society. I believe that Hobbes was a very jealous man. He only wanted to surrender his rights when it benefited him most. He did not care if it hurt the majority of the population as long as he gained from it. Hobbes also believed that it was not right to imprison people or execute because we as other individuals, do not know their exact motives. "We" do not know if they intended to kill us or not. Why make them suffer?

 

Locke believed that all men are in a state of perfect freedom and are over their own actions, depending on their will. We are also in a state of equality. No one has more power than the next. Birth rights do not exist. Men are free to do what they please as long as they do not take away others rights. Men do not have the right to punish others without just mean.

 

Rousseau was philosopher who believed everyone should be equal, everyone work together for the better of the society. The "government" keeps the sovereign in touch with the subjects. The general will of the people is what everyone wants. Everyone would be self-educated. Great intellects would be the conscience of society. They would help lead society not politically, but morally for the welfare of the society. Political parties would not exist because it would weaken the society. This form of government is more like a republic. A pure democracy could not exist. Rousseau changed the way people thought the government should be ran. A monarchy does not have to exist for the society to function as a whole. Everyone knows and agrees that taxes should be paid, but taxes are equal for everyone. Taxes are not collected randomly.

 

Philosophers opened up the thinking of minds for thousands of individuals. Not only did this cause uproars and riots, but scientific research came about. More ideals and inventions were created because people were not afraid to think anymore. Being your own person was not allowed. One must follow the rules of the land or he would be executed or exiled. Who is to say what society functions better than another. I believe it all depends on their beliefs and rituals. What works for one country does not mean it could work for another country. All philosophers are writing to reach out to people to believe in what they do. All four of these men created many problems for individuals and societies, but in the long-run people believed in what they wrote. Some whole heartedly while others participated because they did not have anything better to do. Why not be a part of history without knowing that is what was really being done, at the time?

 

In a sense, all of these ideas combined would create a perfect society. A form of "utopia" for some. No matter how good one believes his ideal is the best, it must be tested before it can b~ the best. There will always be an individual who is not satisfied with the way the government is ran. This individual will always be around to create havoc for everyone else. Enjoy life while it is hew. Sure things can be better, but one has to remember life, in general, could be worse.

 

 

¹ Rene Descartes, Discourse on Method, (1637).

 

 

Bibliography

 

 

Descartes, Rene, Discourse on Method, (1637).

 

Hobbes, Thomas, Leviathan, Chaps l3-l4, (1651).

 

Locke, John, Two Treaties of Government, (l690).

 

Locke, John, Second Treaties on Government, (1690).

 

Locke, John, A Letter Concerning Toleration. (1689).

 

Locke, John, Some Thoughts Concerning Education, (l692).

 

Rousseau, Jean Jacques, The Social Contract,(1763).