The concept of the selfish in Thomas Hobbes

Abstract

In this article, it was purposely made to study the concept of selfishness in Thomas Hobbes’ viewpoint and then analyzing it in light of human being’s living life. This is a documentary research done by studying textbooks and related articles. It was found that the concept of selfishness in Thomas Hobbes’s viewpoint considers nature of man who really desires happiness and hates suffering. When one is under some circumstances, one needs to do something to satisfy oneself and thereby expressing such selfishness due to wanting to precipitate suffering. Such suffering is not a kind of good life. When it is critically examined, selfishness belongs to individual only. Since there are no fixed conditions in a society, then man can destroy the social contract at all times. Therefore, man is always under the state of war; no one can predict what is going to happen and what kind of attitude one is possessing. So, selfishness is always caused resulting in misunderstanding.