A Conversation for Hobbes' Social Contract
Social Contract and ethics
Joe Otten Started conversation Jun 16, 2003
With particular regard to the last paragraph.
The social contract as described is an explanatory principle, not an ethical justification. Thus it is not the case that governments are justified, by the social contract principle, to do anything they deem to be in the interests of (for the protection of) their citizens.
For example, should Og and Mog decide to steal Tog's flint, this may be difficult to justify ethically. If Og and Mog add it to their social contract that they may steal Tog's flint - this makes no difference whatever to the ethics of the act.
Key: Complain about this post
Social Contract and ethics
More Conversations for Hobbes' Social Contract
Write an Entry
"The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a wholly remarkable book. It has been compiled and recompiled many times and under many different editorships. It contains contributions from countless numbers of travellers and researchers."