The Idea of a Social Contract The Elements of Moral Philosophy, Ch 11 James Rachels Professor Douglas Olena
Outline Chapter 11 Hobbes s Argument The Prisoner s Dilemma Some Advantages of the Social Contract Theory of Morals The Problems of Civil Disobedience Difficulties for the Theory
Hobbes s Argument Suppose all the props for moral theory were taken away: No God No Moral Facts No Natural Altruism Where then does morality come from?
Hobbes s Argument 141 Morality should be seen as a solution to a practical problem that arises for selfinterested human beings.
Hobbes s Argument 141 We all want to have the benefits of a peaceful, cooperative social order. In order to do that we write rules. The moral rules, then, are simply the rules that are necessary if we are to gain the benefits of social living.
Hobbes s Argument 142 What would it be like if there were no rules? He calls this the state of nature. Read the block text near the top of 142.
Hobbes s Argument 142 Hobbes draws out four facts about human nature that condition our moral rules: Equality of need Scarcity of necessary commodities We are all equal in power 143 Limited altruism
Hobbes s Argument 143 When we put these facts together, a grim picture emerges. We all need the same basic things, and there aren t enough of them to go around. We will therefore be in competition for them. But no one can prevail ultimately and we are in a constant state of war, of one with all.
Hobbes s Argument 143 We would all be doing the same thing and that would be intolerable. There are plenty of examples of how bad it is to be in the state of nature. It is the same between nations as it is between individuals.
Hobbes s Argument 143 What can be done to escape this state of nature? Two things are required: There must be guarantees that people will not harm one another. People must be able to rely on one another to keep their agreements.
Hobbes s Argument 144 With these two rules in place, there can be a division of labor, where we can build a society.
Hobbes s Argument 144 To escape the state of nature: People must agree to the establishment of rules to govern their relations with one another, They must agree to the establishment of an agency the state with the power necessary to enforce those rules.
Hobbes s Argument 144 This agreement to which every citizen is a party, is called the social contract. The state is there to enforce the rules of social living. Morality consists in the whole set of rules that facilitate social living.
Hobbes s Argument 144 By releasing us from the continual fear of violent death, the social contract frees us to take heed of others. Jean -Jacques Rousseau suggested that we become different kinds of creatures when we enter civilized relations with others. 145 In this, the voice of duty takes the place of physical impulses.
Hobbes s Argument 145 Morality consists in the set of rules, governing how people are to treat one another, that rational people will agree to accept, for their mutual benefit, on the condition that others follow those rules as well.
The Prisoner s Dilemma 145 The prisoner s dilemma can be stated in the form of a puzzle.
The Prisoner s Dilemma 146 You are arrested on suspicion of spying in collusion with Smith (whom you don t know.) the choices are as follows:
The Prisoner s Dilemma 146 Bullet points The goal is to spend as little time in jail as possible. What will get you free the quickest?
The Prisoner s Dilemma 146-147 Numbered bullets 147 By rationally pursuing your own interests, you both end up worse off than if you had both acted differently. Here is the paradox: You and Smith would both do better if simultaneously you did what was not in your self interest.
The Prisoner s Dilemma 147-148 There are two things about the prisoner s dilemma that are like the real world.
The Prisoner s Dilemma It must be a situation in which people s interests are affected no only by what they do but by what other people do as well; It must be in a situation in which, paradoxically, everyone will end up worse off if they individually pursue their own interests than if they simultaneously do what is not in their own individual interests.
The Prisoner s Dilemma Rachels suggests that we could see the dilemma if we looked at it from the point of view of an egoist and a benevolent person. Bullets 148-149 the four scenarios. Numbered bullets 149: choosing egoism is clearly the safest bet. But this lands us in the state of nature again.
The Prisoner s Dilemma 149 According to David Gauthier, we bargain our way into morality. Rachels concludes, We can do that if we can establish sufficient sanctions to ensure that, if we respect other people s interests, they must respect ours as well.
Some Advantages of the Social Contract Theory of Morals
Advantages 150 1. What are the rules we are bound to follow, and how are those rules justified? 2. Why is it reasonable to follow the moral rules? 3. Under what circumstances are we allowed to break the rules? 4. Does morality have an objective basis?
Advantages 150 1. What are the rules we are bound to follow, and how are those rules justified? The key idea is that morally binding rules are the ones that are necessary for social living.
Advantages 150 2. Why is it reasonable to follow the moral rules? We agree to follow the moral rules because it is to our own advantage to live in a society in which the rules are accepted. The whole point of the social contract is that we what to be able to count on people to keep the rules
Advantages 150-151 3. Under what circumstances are we allowed to break the rules? The social contract implies reciprocity. When a person refuses to help when he should, we feel justified not helping him when he needs it. Punishing criminals is the same.
Advantages 152 4. Does morality have an objective basis? Social contract theory sweeps aside worries about the foundations of morals. Morality is the set of rules that rational people would agree to accept for their mutual benefit. Rational investigation reveals those rules.
Civil Disobedience 152 Are we ever justified in defying the law? And if so, when?
Civil Disobedience 153 Mohandas K Ghandi Sought the overthrow of the colonial government. Martin Luther King 154 Sought redress for perpetual wrongs against blacks. Social contract theory offers a solution.
Civil Disobedience 155 When a society forbids the basic privileges and protections of the social contract, then the contract has been broken and the damaged minority has a right to seek redress by whatever means necessary. Civil disobedience is therefore a perfectly justified action to redress wrongs.
Difficulties Two objections are raised: 1. The social contract is a fiction. 2. The social contract has no room for nonhuman animals.
Difficulties The social contract is a fiction 1. It is a useful tool for analyzing our association with society, treating our moral obligations as if they had arisen this way. 2. If it is a fiction it is morally healthy and satisfying one.
Difficulties The social contract has no room for nonhuman animals, their suffering and care. 1. The problem arises when dealing with humans who cannot participate in the social contract are yet capable of great suffering.
Difficulties Unless this problem can be overcome, the social contract theory remains flawed at its root.