Thomas Hobbes †Leviathon Essay Example for Free

Thomas Hobbes – Leviathon Essay Introduction   Thomas Hobbes, a noteworthy political theorist and contemporary of John Locke, offers a concept of justice that is dependent upon the existence of a social structure which he calls the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth arises out of a state of war which he entitles the state of nature. In the state of nature, all men are equal, and thus, they have equal right to liberty. This equality of liberty is without external impediments insofar as how far one is able to extend his own liberty in the preservation of ones self. When men form societies under the social contract, a covenant which expresses their promise to curb their own ambitions and passions, their liberty, in order to work for the common good and to escape the violence that pervades the mere exercise of human nature, is also created. They then, and only then, are able to define justice, which is only realized in the adherence to covenants, and covenants can only be established and adhered to within the Commonwealth. Outside of society, there are no guarantees for protection. Overview In the State of Nature, all men are equal and are equally able to threaten one another. From this equality arises an equality of hope in attaining their ends. What nature has not bestowed upon one man in brute strength, time bestows upon him in experience. The Right of Nature, according to Hobbes, is the liberty each person has to use their own power for their own preservation. Liberty, in this regard, is identified as a lack of constraints upon a person in regards to his own behaviors. If two want the same thing, and they both cannot have it, they become enemies and endeavor to destroy one another (Hobbes chpt. 13). It is thus within the natural order for men to strive for self-preservation, especially when their own liberty is compromised by anothers practice of his liberty. There are three principal causes of quarrels between men in the state of nature. First, competition causes man to attack one another for personal gain, to make himself the stronger of the two and to take that which he seeks from the other. The second reason a man would invade another mans liberty is for the latters own personal safety, and the principal is thus known as diffidence. Finally, the principal of glory, which is the third cause of quarrel according to Hobbes, stems from the want of a reputation and the need to protect it from attacks on an ones personhood, verbal or otherwise. It is ones reputation which makes one powerful and feared in the state of nature, and thus more able to attain what he wants and needs. Because there exists no way for everyone to be assured their liberty will not be infringed by another, they must, therefore, live in a constant state of war. There is no assurance of peace and there are no boundaries dictating the extent to which one can and must go to preserve his own liberty, even if it means the domination of others. Nothing can be unjust. The notions of right and wrong, justice and injustice, have no place (Hobbes Chpt. 13). Therefore, there can be no concept of justice, because justice distinguishes the boundaries existing between one mans ability to protect his liberty in the face of another mans endeavor to destroy it. Force and fraud are the cardinal virtues (Hobbes Chpt. 13). Force ensures ones survival, and fraud ensures ones betterment. Without the fear of punishment, nothing stops men from using them and without justice; the term fraud would have no conceptualization as its negative denotation would not exist in a world with no concept of right and wrong.    Examination The First Law of Nature is to seek peace, which is rational. As the main goal of man under the state of nature is self-preservation, peace cannot be sought unilaterally and it is against the nature of man to seek it when in doing so, he concedes his own liberty. In the state of nature, unimpeded liberty exists, and mans security in his life and liberty is questionable. In such a time, there can not be commerce, agriculture, arts, or society, as there is no means by which to ensure their security. Man must live in constant fear of death and violence, and hence, such aspects of culture cannot subsist under that threat. One has no other refuge, than that which his own strength can furnish to him, hence the importance of the three principles of conflict, which lead to gains in strength, the protection of ones life and liberty, and the protection of ones reputation. Hobbes amalgamates and summarizes the first three laws of nature into what is commonly known as the golden rule. Treat others as you would like to be treated. This rule conceptualizes the birth of the Commonwealth and the social contract, wherein man gives away his right of liberty in order to protect himself from the unrestricted liberty of others who also agree to do the same. This is the birth of both the Commonwealth and justice, and the death of the State of Nature. In order to understand the meaning of justice, one must first understand how Hobbes defines justice. Justice, according to Hobbes, is the keeping of covenants. Therefore, where there are no covenants, there can be no justice. In the State of Nature, there can be contracts, just as within the commonwealth, but not covenants. The reasons are as follows: a contract is the mutual transferring of right in the Hobbsian sense and because it is mutual, it is obligatory on both sides and realized simultaneously, however, insofar as a covenant is a transference of right between men in which one promises to fulfill his obligation in the future, the early performer of his duties can not be assured that the other will perform his end of the covenant because there are no external bridles hinging him to it, containing his ambition. To lay down a mans right to anything is to divest himself of the liberty of hindering another of the benefit of his own right to the same (Hobbes Chpt. 13). Only fear can achieve adherence to the covenant; only coercion can bring about fear; and only the Commonwealth can subdue a mans passions through coercion. Therefore, a covenant in the state of nature is no more than a gift given to another as there can be no guarantee that the first to act will get his due, moreover, justice, according to Hobbes, originally exists within the commonwealth. Conclusion The keeping of Justice within the commonwealth can be explained in two parts; first, by clarification of the role of law, and, second, through Hobbes concept of authorship. Law, as defined by Hobbes, is distinguishable from right insofar as right is the liberty to do, whereas law binds ones liberty. Law, he says, is derived from reason, and reason tells man that he should strive for peace, which is both the grounds for the establishment of society, and the first law of nature. As all voluntary acts are geared towards gain, and laying down the natural right is a voluntary act, it is done so in order to promote the peace, which is both reasonable and beneficial for the all parties in that the peace is maintained. The law that binds man and takes away his ability to infringe on the liberties of others compel men equally to the performance of their covenants, by the terror of some punishment greater than the benefit they expect by the breach of their covenant (Hobbes Chpt. 15). Therefore, it is the established laws of the Commonwealth which place the fear punishment in men and guides them to the fulfillment of their covenants. Secondly, as the Commonwealth is the unification of men who have conferred their power to govern themselves upon either one man, or an assembly of men, called the sovereign, in order to establish the peace, it is in mans nature to strive individually and collectively for peace in order for self-preservation. The sovereign represents the will of the unified men. The sovereign is the sole legislator, and represents the common good. The laws oblige all citizens and if the citizens have quarrel with the laws, then they only have quarrel with themselves. As the common good is represented by the laws, and as the law of nature, under which the Commonwealth and the sovereign alike were created, and the civil laws contain each other and are reasonable, and as it is the citizens who author the laws in respect to the common good, therefore, neither the common good nor the laws can ever be unjust or against reason. References Hobbes, Thomas; Leviathan, ed. C. B. Macpherson (Harmondsworth: Pelican, 1975)

The Delegation of Managers Essay -- Delegating Managers Workplace Air

The Delegation of Managers The Oxford English Dictionary defines Delegation as â€Å"The action of delivering or assigning a thing to a person or to a purpose.† Delegation is very important in the Air Force and military in general. When managers do not delegate, they can become overwhelmed. The concept of delegation can be difficult to master. I was a Contracting Officer for 6 years. During that time, I not only saw delegation within the military structure but also to the contractors we employed. Delegation seems like an easy concept, but not everyone understands it and completes it with confidence. Some managers use delegation to ensure that they are not the only ones to blame in a failure. Some managers will delegate the difficult jobs or the ones they don’t want to complete themselves. These are not the reasons delegation should be used in the business world. Delegation can be a great motivational tool, showing employees that they are trusted enough to complete a task. It shows that managers have confidence in the employee. Delegation can also help you as a manager and a sense of accomplishment once the task is completed. As a manager who delegates, you have more time to do other tasks. You could move up the career ladder more quickly because you have time to devote to other projects and your team gets more work done. Every business or office has an opportunity for some form of delegation. Delegation is an everyday occurrence in the Air Force. The Air Force consists of a Chain of Command. At the top of this list is the President of the United States. At the bottom is your average airman. In the middle of this list are commanders, first sergeants, and superintendents. Everything from when to show up for work to how long physical training will last is delegated down the chain. It is the people at the top who make the decisions of what needs to be done, but the individuals at the bottom are the ones who actually get the job done. This is only the military tasks. When it comes to the individual jobs in the Air Force, each unit delegates in it’s own way. As a Contracting Officer, our office negotiated and wrote contracts for every service and supply needed on the base. This included buying new computers and office supplies for offices to the janitorial services for every building. Before the contract was awarded, market research needed to be done. We ... ...ponsibility and recognition. Managers need to delegate the right information to the right people and let those employees shine. Stephen Comiskey once stated, â€Å"You can delegate authority, but not responsibility.† When used properly, delegation can be a great tool for both managers and employees. Managers and employees working together to get tasks done are more efficient and work better as a team. It takes time and effort to develop a good system of delegation, but the end result can help you in your career and confidence level. During my Air Force career, I learned a lot about delegation. This helps me delegate in my current job as a stay at home mom. Everything from my husband’s honey-do list to getting my son to pick up his toys require some level of delegation. 1. Oxford English Dictionary on-line, http://80-dictionary.oed.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/cgi/entry/50060042?query_type=word&queryword=delegation&first=1&max_to_show=10&single=1&sort_type=alpha, accessed on March 9, 2005 2. Alan Chapman, http://www.businessballs.com/delegation.htm, accessed on March 9, 2005. 3. http://en.thinkexist.com/quotes/with/keyword/delegating/, accessed on March 9, 2005.

Childcare working in partnerships Essay

Working in Partnerships TASK A Task A 1 (ref 1.1) Working in partnerships with -: Volunteers Health visitors Child development officers Staff/colleagues Social workers SALT – Speak and Language Therapist Ofsted Educational psychologists EYTA – Early Years Teaching Advisor Manager Healthcare Professionals Room Leaders Other settings – Primary teachers SENCO – Special need co-ordinator Children Chef/Kitchen – allergies, food requirements, vegetarian EAL Worker – English Additional Language Parents and carers It is important to work in partnership with parents/carers because they’ll feel supported, included in the child’s progress and ability. Also they’ll feel that their comments, opinions are being accepted and valued. Working in partnership with the parents/carers will also support, improve and maintain communication within the whole family. Multi – Disciplinary Teams They work with other services such as children’s centres, social services and someone working in a voluntary organisation. Working in partnerships with  Multi-Disciplinary Teams is also important as they encourage everyone who works and supports the child to think of the whole child. Also respecting roles and responsibilities. Other Professionals Working in partnership with other professionals, can able us to support the child by gaining specialist advice about potential barriers, which may interfere with a child’s development. Colleagues Working in partnerships with our colleagues allows us to work together and communicate efficiently with regards to the child and shows continuity of care. Task A 2 (ref 1.2) The three relevant partners for communication and information sharing are primary teachers, chef/kitchen staff and Ofsted. Task A 3 (ref 1.3) The three characteristics that define an effective working partnership is that it builds a report, enables effective communication and allows decisions and ideas to be valued from all agencies, for example parents, teachers etc. Task A 4 (ref 1.4) The three examples of potential barriers for effective partnership are poor communication, language barriers and out of date information. TASK B Task B 1 (ref 2.1) Two reasons for clear and effective information between partners is important because it helps with assessing children and young people’s needs and with observations. Task B 2 (ref 2.2) One policy for young children or young person’s work setting for sharing information is partnerships with parents, confidentiality, transitions and continuity of care (key person). For the procedure you consult your senior or even your manager when sharing information and record all information and actions which are relevant to current needs. Task B 3 (ref 2.3) One example of a conflict that may occur when sharing information with partners is that the parents might not agree with your advice that you give them on the development of their child. As they may find it offensive when you’re only trying to help. One example for a dilemma may be that you’re sharing information with a parent/carer or someone that you shouldn’t be sharing information with about a child. Task B 4 (ref 2.4) The legal requirement for recording information is under the Data Protection Act 1998. The key points are that the data is stored about a family or staff must not be shared without the person’s permission. Task B 5 (ref 2.5) The records are kept in filing cabinets which have a lock on and only certain members of staff have the key. Also some records may be kept on computer which are under a password, and again only certain people know the password. Task B 6 (ref 2.6) Speak to parents about the problem, speak to manager or SENCO. Be confidential about what you’re discussing. Also gather evidence and observe the child. Keep the parents informed and fill in a Common Assessment Framework (CAF). TASK C Task C 1 (ref 3.1) The reasons for working in partnership with parents/carers are -: So they are involved in their child’s learning progress. So their views and opinions are valued. Task C 2 (ref 3.2, 3.3) How to do this Difficult Circumstances Development of Partnership with Parents or Carers Showing that you value the parents/carers opinion will create the basis of a good relationship. To communicate well with parents/carers. Working parents do not communicate well. Sustaining Partnership with Parents or Carers Encouraging parents to talk with other parents, and to build another path of communication as well with the setting, Parents lead a chaotic lifestyle and have no interest in communicating with other parents and with the staff within the setting.

Argumentative Essay On Halloween - 830 Words

Happy Halloteen Halloween: the holiday where as kids we couldn’t wait to go door to door to achieve the golden goal of a full bag of candy. Halloween soon turns into a question mark for teens; in an instant, there is a change of when it is ‘appropriate’ to go trick-or-treating and when you should just move on. Are you the one who thinks Trick-or-treating is lame or the one who still walks around your neighborhood every year -- no matter how many dirty looks you may get. What teenagers decide to do on Halloween varies: going to a party, passing out candy, staying home are a few popular options. Throughout my highschool experience I have been able to witness and experience all different types of halloteens, each with their own traits. The†¦show more content†¦You know no matter what you wear people will still know your age, so you choose the comfortable route: a onesie. Throwing on a snug, warm, animal shaped onesie is the best option if you still want people to think you dressed up. It takes a lot of confidence to fall into this category because the only explanations for going trick-or-treating is to own up to it or make an excuse that your sibling is dragging you along and you deserve a treat too. Walking around the culdesac you start to think, wow, I am getting too old for this, it is way too cold: until you look down in your bag noticing you only have five pieces of candy. The fight carries on until 8 o’clock when peoples lights start to go out and bowls become empty. Finally getting home looking back down at your bag you know you’ve made the right choice. This next option is for teens who want a more relaxing night, but still want to be apart of the Halloween festivities. These are the ‘I wish I was brave enough to go Trick-or-Treating halloteens.’ Still craving candy, but not having any siblings left to steal candy from can be difficult. The next best option is to pass out the candy and hope that there is more left over at the end of the night. â€Å"Take one,† you say as you secretly hope the kids won’t take your favorite candy. Saying take one isn’t as impactful as it seems because the children are determined to get as much candy as possible and will sneak a couple extraShow MoreRelatedLogical Reasoning189930 Words   |  760 PagesYour most important critical thinking skill is your skill at making judgments─not snap judgments that occur in the blink of an eye, but those that require careful reasoning. You are not reasoning logically if, when you want a gorilla suit for a Halloween party, the first thing you do is search for the word Gorilla in the Yellow Pages of the telephone book, and the problem here is not that you used a telephone book instead of the Internet. High-quality reasoning is called logical reasoning or