Human Nature, By Jean Jacques Rousseau And Thomas Hobbes

The notion of human nature has always been historically debated. Explores, philosophers, and writers have always come to argue on what is considered to be barbarism, savagery, and civilized. These constructed categories have put a label on people who do not share the same ideas as one another. These different views of human nature have come to propel change and have come to revolutionized human history. Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Michel de Montaigne, and Thomas Hobbes all differ on their ideas of human nature, but they also share common ground. For some of these men the practices of different cultures are categorized as savagery, and for others it has been viewed as noble savagery. Their ideas however have allowed society to view different perspectives of human nature. These perspectives have classified human nature as a way of life, or as an obstacle to what is consider to be the good life. Their ethnographic resources provide a glimpse to all the different cultures and their value to s ociety and history. Cannibalism in many Western societies is usually frown upon or illegal; however, for a tribe located in Antarctic France which is now known as Brazil, cannibalism is considered to be a norm. For many Western thinkers this cultural practice of cannibalism would be an act of savagery, but for Michel de Montaigne this cultural practice is categorized as noble savagery. Montaigne reverses the egocentric belief in the superiority of western culture in his work â€Å"Of Cannibals.† HisShow MoreRelatedModern Liberalism and Political Policies1337 Words   |  6 PagesModern Liberalism Thomas Hobbes, John Locke and Jean Jacques Rousseau’s political philosophies and theories each differ from one another’s, but these three philosophers have all staked their claims as to what man would be like, prior to the formation of the state. This is the State of Nature. Their notions on the social contract reflect their position on the political spectrum. These three philosophers also examine the purpose and function of the government to individuals of the state. Modern liberalismRead MoreThe Social Contract Theory Essay1249 Words   |  5 Pageswill further elaborate in this paper. In the book Leviathan, Thomas Hobbes was one of the first to discuss the social contract. Hobbes explains that all human beings are born in â€Å"the state of nature†, which means that all men used to live in the primitive state before the advent of society. In the state of nature, men needs two things in their life. First, it is to self-preserve themselves, since it is in men’s human nature to survive, similar to animals. 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