René Descartes and Thomas Hobbes

Philosophy: The study of ideas about knowledge, life, and truth; literally, love of wisdom

Grew up with his grandmother and enjoyed spending time alone in the garden to think

Went to boarding school and was allowed to sleep late before beginning his studies for the day (he was frequently sick)

Studied law when he was older but it did not interest him. He was passionate about traveling, being alone to think, and sleeping late

His love of travel caused him to join the Dutch army, where he traveled to Holland (now called the Netherlands)

Questioned everything he could

Promised himself to "never accept anything as true if I [he] did not clearly know it to be so."

The Idea that the truths of the universe could be discovered by observation and reason, and not accepted by faith alone, changed the way many thought

Encouraged people to doubt everything except their own existence until they proved each thing to be true

Became famous throughout Europe

Was asked to visit Sweden by Queen Christina

Hated the cold, caught pneumonia and died

Parliament: the original lawmaking branch of the English government that is made up of the House of Lords and the House of Commons

Pessimist: A person who tends to see the worst in a situation or who believes the worst will happen

Social Contract: An agreement among individuals in a society and a ruler or government; individuals give up some of their freedoms in exchange for protection by the ruler or government

"Absolute Monarchy": A government in which the king or queen has the unchecked authority to do whatever they want without any restrictions

Authoritarian: Requiring absolute obedience to a rule or government; not allowing personal freedom

Europe in the 1600s, life expectancy was around 40 years old

Lived a very long life during a difficult time period

His ideas were not popular

At times, he was forced to flee for his life and burn his own writings

Travelled after graduating from Oxford University

Returned home to England during a time of political unrest

Problem between the King and Parliament

Ruling monarchs at the time, the Stuarts, believed in the divine right of kings

Did not want to grant Parliament any lawmaking powers (this lasted decades)

Hobbes supported the king

Fled to Paris when he saw Parliament threaten to take control from the Stuarts

Parliament takes control, King Charles I is executed, his son Prince Charles flees to Paris and befriends Hobbes

People are naturally cruel, greedy, and selfish

People have two main desires: to feel pleasure and to avoid pain and would do anything achieve this

If people are so naturally selfish, they cannot be trusted to make choices that would benefit the entire community or preserve order

Using his own experiences, Hobbes concluded that without a strong government, people would live in a constant state of war

Believed that people must enter into a social contract - people give up some of their individual freedoms and give them to a powerful leader or assembly

Only strong leaders, strict laws, and harsh punishments would protect selfish people from waging war on each other

Hobbes believed that only an absolute monarchy could ensure peace and safety

Argued that real human freedom is the ability to live peacefully without being threatened by others

Prince Charles becomes King Charles II and supports Hobbes ideas

1665 - Plague outbreak in England

1666 - Great Fire of London destroyed much of London

People now sought comfort in their religious faith and believed that Hobbes's views on human beings were unchristian

Forced to burn many of his papers and banned from publishing more work because he was a threat to religion