Leviathan

Answers

• Q29PERSONHOOD

  Would creating an intelligent being give its maker the right to own it?

  No. making does not create a right of dominion. Argues a parent's dominion over a child does not derive from having begotten it but from the child's consent.

  Dominion is acquired two wayes; By Generation, and by Conquest. The right of Dominion by Generation, is that, which the Parent hath over his Children; and is called PATERNALL. And is not so derived from the Generation, as if therefore the Parent had Dominion over his Child because he begat him; but from the Childs Consent, either expresse, or by other sufficient arguments declared. For as to the Generation, God hath ordained to man a helper; and there be alwayes two that are equally Parents: the Dominion therefore over the Child, should belong equally to both; and he be equally subject to both, which is impossible; for no man can obey two Masters.

  Chapter XX, "Of Dominion Paternall and Despoticall" · Gutenberg #3207; Chapter XX passage read.

• Q35STATE

  Does treating the state as an artificial machine give its members grounds to redesign it?

  No. for subjects; the artifice belongs to the sovereign. Hobbes criticizes private conscience as a competing judge of good and evil where civil law has determined the matter, arguing that competing private judgments would divide the commonwealth.

  In the second place, I observe the Diseases of a Common-wealth, that proceed from the poyson of seditious doctrines; whereof one is, "That every private man is Judge of Good and Evill actions." This is true in the condition of meer Nature, where there are no Civill Lawes; and also under Civill Government, in such cases as are not determined by the Law. But otherwise, it is manifest, that the measure of Good and Evill actions, is the Civill Law; and the Judge the Legislator, who is alwayes Representative of the Common-wealth. From this false doctrine, men are disposed to debate with themselves, and dispute the commands of the Common-wealth; and afterwards to obey, or disobey them, as in their private judgements they shall think fit. Whereby the Common-wealth is distracted and Weakened. … Otherwise in such diversity, as there is of private Consciences, which are but private opinions, the Common-wealth must needs be distracted, and no man dare to obey the Soveraign Power, farther than it shall seem good in his own eyes.

  Introduction; Chapter XXIX, Of those things that Weaken, or tend to the Dissolution of a Common-wealth · Wikisource Introduction page; Project Gutenberg text; chapter 29 title and opening confirmed via earlymoderntexts and Saylor copy.