Thomas Hobbes and John Locke: Two Philosophers Compared

Timestamps:

02:11 - Thomas Hobbes (Leviathan)
09:33 - John Locke (Two Treatises of Government)
13:00 - Compare/Contrast with Graphic Organizer

Mr. Richey discusses the works of Thomas Hobbes and John Locke, two of the most influential philosophers of government in the seventeenth century. Hobbes and Locke were both influential in the development of social contract theory. In Leviathan, Thomas Hobbes advances the idea of a permanent social contract in which people give up sovereignty to a governing authority in order to avoid the state of nature, which is a state of war with "every man against every man." After the Glorious Revolution, John Locke responded with his Two Treatises of Government, in which he argued that people enter into a social contract and form a government in order to preserve their natural rights (life, liberty, and property). In Locke's social contract, the people retain sovereignty and reserve the right to alter or abolish the social contract if the government fails to protect their natural rights. I spend the first part of the lecture providing a summary of Hobbes' Leviathan, followed by a summary of Locke, then I use a graphic organizer to compare and contrast Hobbes' and Locke's social contract philosophies, noting key similarities and differences between the two theorists.

Mastodon's Leviathan album is brought in from time to time just because it's awesome.

This lecture is designed specifically for AP European History students studying Absolutism and Constitutionalism in preparation for their exam, but can also serve students in other disciplines, such as US History and Government, as well.

I use a picture in this video (Green Nature) that should be attributed to Rudolf Getel. I neglected to do so in the video, so I am doing so here.

[robertorodrigueznunez]

Philosophy was not meant to be hard and not able to be understood. Your videos are doing an excellent job bringing an interest to this important subject. Thank you.

[_lydia.diana_]

That moment, when you are from germany and understood an english video better than you understood your history teacher

[petersiano]

I’m glad you could do in 17 minutes what a veteran professor could not in 2 months

[zoo]

You're a low-key OG history teacher. Thanks for making exam season less terrifying.

[natewashup]

I just want to thank you so much for brilliantly summing up Hobbes and Locke in under 20 minutes whereas I have stumbled through it for two weeks to no avail. Awesome job to say the least

[ShahinErian]

How dare you as a philosopher drink tea rather than whiskey.

[bcvetkov]

It's been ten years since the original upload and I have to say that this is the best video I've seen on the topic thus far. Thank you again for making this. I want to highlight to people that sometimes you don't need really badly animated videos to talk about philosophy. You can just be a human being and bring information to people in an effective and timely matter.
Your notes/lecture are helping me get through my Ethics and intro to philosophy class in Community College.
Thanks again.
- Bob. : )

[pope]

"Rest in peace, my pony" is the most metal thing I've heard all day.

[muta]

I am from Africa and i appreciate your work... u got fans from across the continent...

Thnx Richie!!

[kritikumar]

Entertaining and enlightening.. You killed it.

Thankyou :D

[nieck]

Philosophy and mastodon in the same video <3 you sir, should win an award.

[adoraajane]

''Those of you that have trouble with the English language and would like to see it translated into Latin..'' haha, this seriously made my day! I have an essay due on the differences and similarities between Locke and Hobbes in 5 hours, and used this video as extra, last minute research. After reading countless books and articles for weeks on end, this basically summarised everything I needed to know. Thanks for sharing!

[dplayzanything]

this video posted 9 years ago is saving me so much time right now...thank u Mr. Richey

[stuartmartin]

thanks for doing what you do, i don't know why someone would dislike this video

[jamesconnolly]

A question of utmost importance to philosophy: Why do you leave the tea bag in and allow your tea to become bitter? What is the meaning of bitterness, and why do you like a taste that exists as a mechanism to prevent you from ingesting poison?

[dalzamora]

Thank you for your clarity.
I appreciate your letting history teach us rather than any personal agendas.

[abrilcotti]

Tom Richie, you have just saved an Argentine student's life. THANK YOU!

[manarbouabdallah]

i just looove how he simplifies philosophy!!! like OMG !! i just wish we had teachers like him here in Algeria, thank you so much for this lecture :3

[matthewlewis]

Bro still clutching up 8 years later thanks man

[CHARLIECRUZIN]

You are a good teacher, very entertaining as well. Bravo