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04/22/18
Global Ethics
John Locke and Natural Rights
John locke, like Hobbes, claimed that we as human have natural rights. In his
influential philosophy of Second Treatise of Government, Locke explained that as
humans we are bound by moral rights to preserve “the life, liberty, health, limb and
goods” in others and in our own . Locke also argued that because we come from nature
we are bound by nature to respect these given rights. Unlike Hobbes, where nothing is
binding in a natural state. But they both share a common argument: “it is mutually
beneficial for individuals to come together in social structures and communities.
What that means is that; although natural rights always exists they are most
vulnerable in a natural state. To formalized these rights we need the help of institutions
and governments. We are unsafe and insecure in a natural state but with the help of
institutions and governments we assure that these rights are being practiced by
everyone in the community and or social structure. At least that is what we would hope,
these rights are constantly being violated and that is why human rights is such a
