Hobbes Vs Rousseau

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Thomas Hobbes and Jean-Jacques Rousseau were 17th and 18th-century philosophers with very similar, yet contrasting theories about human nature. Whereas Hobbes created his philosophy based on the idea that humans are naturally competitive, violent, and selfish, Rousseau’s philosophy is based on his opinion that man is good by nature, but corrupted by society. Hobbes ideas may be viewed as quite cynical, especially when compared to Rousseau’s more idealistic ideas. Both philosophers discussed ideas relating to a ‘state of nature’ and what would happen to man once placed in a ‘state of nature’ stripped of outside influences. Also, both philosophers discussed their ideas about what exactly morality and ethics are and why humans act in the way that
However, their opinions as to what exactly constitutes man’s natural state greatly differ, and may even be described as opposites. Hobbes believed that man is selfish and violent by nature, and therefore only acts kind to others for personal reasons. On the other hand, Rousseau believed that man is naturally good and only seems to act unkind because of the influence of outside influences. These ideas greatly influenced their ideas of the morality of man, and what exactly constitutes right and just

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