What does “man is a wolf to man” mean?

We cannot ignore the fact that humanity is complex, that is why various reflections take place to think about its nature. A representative phrase by way of interpretation is the one that says “man is a wolf to man.” This metaphor confronts us with the following question: Are human beings violent by nature?

Thomas Hobbes, a well-known English philosopher in the 17th century, made great contributions regarding human nature. According to him, We are characterized by being naturally violent, always ready to fight if necessary. The phrase homo homini lupus It serves to describe how Hobbes interprets the human condition.

In this article, we will explore the meaning of this reflection. Likewise, we will go through Hobbes’s political philosophy to explain its meaning. Join us!

Context of the phrase “man is a wolf to man”

Thomas Hobbes is recognized for exposing his philosophical-political thoughts in his great work Leviathan. In it the author lays the foundations for the construction of an absolutist state that ensures the security of its citizens.

Within such a context, “man is a wolf to man” was taken from the comedy of Plautus (250-184 BC). It seeks to explain What is the human being like in the state of nature, that is, when there is no State that imposes laws? and order society.

Plautus’s phrase says: “Lupus est homo homini, non homo, quom qualis sit non novit.” It can be translated as: “Wolf is the man for the man, not a man, when he does not know who the other is.” Here we can make a first interpretation: Human beings distrust others similar to us when we do not know who they are.

The war of all against all

We can interpret that The human being in the state of nature is originally evil. That is, the natural attitude that man has towards others is the willingness to fight or war.

In this sense, the phrase “man is a wolf to man” means that, in this state, Human beings are incapable of living in society. This is because, without legal frameworks that regulate human behavior, there is always the danger of being attacked by others. In this sense, what can we do?

According to an article published by the magazine Alpha, The community formed by wolves makes peace through the social contract. Thus, its natural condition is annulled.

The wolf as a state of nature of the human being

To understand Hobbes’ phrase, it is necessary to understand how he considered human beings. In his work Leviathan, The philosopher starts from a hypothetical state of nature, a non-real assumption, but, at the same time, it is necessary to expose his philosophy.

The state of nature that Hobbes speaks of is characterized by absolute freedom. This means that human beings, being equal by nature, have the same potential to claim everything they want.

AND We distrust other men, since they have the same possibilities of achieving what we want. This generates a feeling of continuous distrust of each other.

From distrust arises the war of all against all. This is because men, to protect themselves, use force. This disposition must be interpreted as an always latent tendency that human beings have when they are alone and without laws that regulate them.

The end of “man is a wolf to man”

Hobbes finds a solution to get out of the state of perpetual war. The same is about men make pacts among themselves to distance themselves from their nature; in order to live safe and in peace. This pact between everyone and everyone is known as a social contract.

This contract is a pact between free human beings because, remember, men are free by nature, according to Hobbes. This is how our power to defend ourselves against any attack we receive from others is voluntarily transferred to the sovereign. In other words, men give up their potential to use force to preserve their own lives.

In response, the sovereign commits to society to maintain order and defend it from any attack it may receive. In this way, political society is formed, which is directed by a ruler who has absolute power. This means that The sovereign has the ability and right to make laws, judge and defend, even if this involves the use of force.

Another interpretation of the phrase

According to an article by Philosophical Studies , You can read the phrase “man is a wolf to man” in a Judeo-Christian key. In this regard, he maintains that Human beings are carriers of original sin. This sin is being homo homini lupusthat is, its natural condition.

Due to this, man is forced to make a pact with his fellow men, who are bearers of a nature equal to his own.

Human nature according to Rousseau

The state of nature proposed by the French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau is opposite to that held by Hobbes. For the first, human beings are good by nature. However, it is the political society who corrupts said condition through the social inequality that is brewing within.

In this sense, the considerations about human nature are radically different between both philosophers. In this aspect, it is worth remembering that for Hobbes it is society that solves the state of nature.

Rousseau reverses this thought. The only point of union between the two is that the social contract continues to be maintained, since it is necessary to found a new community without social inequalities.

Hobbes vs. Rousseau

Throughout this article we investigate how philosophy considers the human condition; We did it through a thorough analysis of the phrase “man is a wolf to man.” In this sense, we have the political theory of Thomas Hobbes, who maintains that human beings are evil by nature.

On the other hand, philosophers such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau argue that man is good by nature. We can choose one theory or another, but We must not forget that we can always improve our natural condition. This may be what life is all about.

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