With Freedom Comes Disaster - Is Complete Freedom Something That Creates Disaster for Humanity?

Nelson Thornton

Mrs. Ray

Great Books 2

April 21, 2011

WITH FREEDOM COMES DISASTER

Question: Is complete freedom something that creates disaster for humanity?

Answer:

Freedom does create disaster for humanity. Evidence that supports this can be found in Aristotle's "Politics," Thomas Hobbes's "Of Commonwealth," and John Locke's "Of Civil Government." These three essays will help explain why freedom creates disaster. Freedom is not something you want in you country. It can lead to many things, for example; war, overpowering of government, unsecured people, and many more.

In Aristotle's essay "Politics," Aristotle talks about the importance of a government. Aristotle states, "For man, when perfected, is the best of animals, but, when separated from law and justice, he is the worst of all." In this quote Aristotle is saying that, in order for man to be good, there needs to be law. With complete freedom there is no law. Men do what they want, when they want. Eventually, they will do just what Aristotle says, and be "the worst of all." Therefore it is important that there is not complete freedom.

In the essay "Of Commonwealth" by Thomas Hobbes, there is a statement that helps explain why complete freedom creates disaster. Hobbes states, "Whereas man is then most troublesome when he is most at ease: for then it is that he loves to show his wisdom and control the actions of them that he loves to show his wisdom and control the actions of them that govern the commonwealth." In this statement it is basically saying that men are at their worst, when at ease. With complete freedom man is at ease. This is when they begin to challenge authority. With the challenging of authority, the government will turn corrupt, all because of complete freedom. The wring person will be in office, and therefore it would create disaster for humanity.

John Locke's essay