What is the Function of a Social Contract? Essay -- essays research pa

What is the Function of a Social take in charge?Philosophers have been concerned with the theories of a hearty make for thousands of years. Plato mentions the concept in Crito and in Republic. These theories have stemmed from the concept of justice and for our society to be just. I will look at the works of doubting doubting Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Jean Jacques Rousseau and fin every last(predicate)y with John Rawls after which a overall view into the function of a social twitch can be derived as well as any problems with the theory(s). The basic concept of a social contract is for members of society to enter into a voluntary contract, which allows society to go from a state of nature to a state of civilisation. What is meant by a state of nature is quite similar to how the rest of the animal kingdom works. A someones security depends on his or her own personal power. The fittest survive and the weakest suffer. Every person is concerned with his or her own ends. Plato outlin ed two types of contract within society. These were the contract of citizenship and the contract of community. The contract of citizenship was tackled in Crito. He regarded it as a contract made by each individual citizen with the state or law. If a man is to remain in a political society he will have to accept its obligations for he has enjoyed it privileges and benefits.The contract of community was cover in Republic Book II. This theory is based on the assumption the man is an egoist. With this assumption of every man for himself it is likely that he would either occasion harm to others or sustain harm from others and therefore there would be a need to combat this. Thomas Hobbes published his work, the leviathan, which included theories of a social contract. His view is very similar to Platos in regards to contract of community. He felt that there was a need for members of a society to Curtail the warfare of all against all and without these theories this war would spiral out of control with everyone competing against scarce resources. He talks about how a persons strength is all that protects them from others. The only way he saw fit to counter this predicament would be for a person to voluntarily agree to a contract where their inseparable freedom is given up in return for personal security. This freedom would be give up to the supreme authority, the Leviathan, which would serve as a reciprocal pow... ...ction to relatives and close associates. The theory of cosmopolitan will also has problems. What can protect society from unjust rulers who say they are working in the way of general will? General will does not allow for difference in taste. It also identifies moral obligation with general interest. This is a problem because people may have similar morals but have different interest. The rulers can also work with regards to the interest of the state but not with regards to morals. BibliographyLeviathan Thomas Hobbes edit by Richard Tuck 1991 Cambri dge University PressRousseaus Political Philosophy Ramon M Lemos 1977 University of Georgia PressThe Second Treatise of Government John Locke edited by Thomas P Peardon 1952 Bobbs and Merrill company inc.Problems of Political Philosophy revised edition DD Raphael 1976 Macmillan Press ltd.The Social Contract and Discourses Jean Jacques Rousseau translated by GDH Cole 1973 JM Dent and Sons ltd.The Social Contract or Principles of Political Right second edition revised Jean Jacques Rousseau translated by Henry J Tozer 1898 Swan Sonnenschein and Co.