Hobbes vs. Rousseau on Man and the State

In this lecture series, Dr. Peter Kreeft examines key ideas in philosophy by comparing and contrasting two representative philosophers in each episode.

In lecture 10, Dr. Kreeft examines two totalitarians, Hobbes and Rousseau, on the question of what makes a good society. He contrasts Hobbes’ “hard totalitarianism” with the “soft (democratic) totalitarianism” of Rousseau, and identifies the flaws in both approaches.

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[PrejoSunny]

An avid viewer and a catholic from india. These lectures are opening new avenues for my knowledge on philosophy and belief.

[borneandayak]

God bless to all of us who watching this video.

[bachamadu]

Thus far Dr. Kreeft's teaching has been on two antithetical school of thoughts but with these two, if i'm not totality wrong, they both are anti-Christian---one radical than the other, to be sure. And yet, we can't wait for Dr. Kreeft's thoughtful, and intellectually engaging as always.

[faysal]

I’m Muslim & I love this channel. Superb lecture !!

[ValsVersion]

I have not heard anyone explain this since college!!! Thank you! No one is taught this anymore and we are running headlong towards a Rousseauian nightmare

[tracykirchhoffer]

Dr Peter Kreeft, you are quite brilliant as you convey key complex ideas of philosophers with such crisp clarity. What a gift you have and are for all who hear you. God Bless you and your work. Thank you.

[iqgustavo]

🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation:

00:53 🏛️ Totalitarianism is a political philosophy where the ruler's will holds power, not objective law; it's subjective human will controlling all.
02:13 🌐 Hobbes and Rousseau represent different forms of totalitarianism: Hobbes advocates a hard totalitarianism based on fear, while Rousseau advocates a soft democratic totalitarianism based on free consent.
03:25 🏛️ Democracy and totalitarianism aren't contradictory; democracy answers the question of where public political authority lies, while totalitarianism answers how much authority it holds over human lives.
04:31 🗽 Advocates of soft totalitarianism, like Rousseau, emphasize freedom, but their focus on subjective will and emotions can lead to invisible, internal chains that restrict true freedom.
06:23 🔒 The relationship between freedom and power isn't straightforward; freedom can be dangerous, and both need careful consideration. Freedom shouldn't be equated with absolute good.
08:53 🤖 Hobbes denies the existence of spiritual elements and claims humans are driven by material forces. He advocates a hard totalitarianism rooted in fear and force.
10:56 ❓ The nature of Hobbes' belief in God is unclear, but his materialism extends across his philosophy, denying spiritual aspects, free will, and the soul.
14:35 🔀 Hobbes and Rousseau share an assumption of contrasting the state of nature with civil society, where both see politics as the savior or source of misery.
16:14 📜 Both Hobbes and Rousseau's philosophies prioritize political correctness and conformity, with Hobbes targeting the Roman Catholic Church and Rousseau emphasizing feeling and emotion.
18:48 🌐 Both Hobbes and Rousseau ignore the principles of the common good and subsidiarity, important in Catholic social and political morality, leading to extreme individualism or collectivism.
21:01 🛐 Both philosophers exemplify the death of God and the resulting abolition of human nature; their contrasting ideas contribute to totalitarianism's rise and societal changes.
23:19 👥 The absence of key Catholic principles contributes to both philosophers' inadequate treatment of the relationship between the individual and the collective.
26:32 🔄 The philosophical ideas of Nietzsche, Heidegger, Rousseau, Hobbes, and Marx raise the question of the direction humanity is headed in, and the emergence of new ideologies and leaders.

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[freda]

Please, it would be great if there is a subtitle/caption, that’s not just auto-generated. As there appears to be a script being read, this would be easy to do. At any rate, big thanks for the lecture, Dr. Kreeft. Please do more.

[jeffsmith]

One of the paradoxes of freedom is that it vanishes when absolute.

[elizabethhobson]

I thoroughly appreciate this. Dr Kreeft delivered such a useful mountain top view of the subject, and with such charm. I am just gearing up to write an essay comparing Hobbes and Rousseau, and absolute rule, and this presentation has helped me to centre my thinking (which was otherwise based on disconnected excerpts) and invigorate my enthusiasm for what I’m doing. One quick point though: I do dispute the suggestion that libertarians are pro-abortion as a rule. Abortion is clearly an affront to the non-aggression principle that is widely accepted by libertarians, and ultimately people cannot live free if they are dead! Ron Paul is a particularly excellent source of pro-life argumentation from a libertarian perspective.

[RichardIjaz-hvgn]

Thank you for sharing your wisdom. Your lectures make me think

[michaelsjourney]

brilliant brilliant brilliant. thank you !!

[cyrusparvin]

I like the lecture but found the music and sound of water distracting. Perhaps I'm only speaking for myself but I do not think that the people who choose to listen to these topics need their mood influenced.

[Neworldisordered]

I’m Homo sapien (w bit of neanderthalensis) & I love this channel. Superb lecture !!

[MartinDrummond-xq]

What is the sonic wallpaper supposed to add?

[chissstardestroyer]

Regarding the novel "Brave New World" by far the best works of fiction are also works of prophesy: cautionary tales/warnings of what we'd do to ourselves if we persist on the current course.

[arunjetli]

This time the Prof makes sense as he clarifies consciousness

[BrianBenson-rcmu]

Thanks for this video. A good way to continue searching for the truth is reading "Work of Human Hands" by Fr. Anthony Cekada.

[keenanweind]

It was Lord Acton who said that "Power tends to corrupt..."

[johnmartin]

Thank you Mr K…..another great presentation…..God bless Mr K