Assessment 3: Freedom and Authority

Write a 2-3-page essay on a selected issue related to the tension between individual freedom and social institutions.

Introduction

There is a very delicate balance between the freedoms that individuals enjoy in society and the authority that governs them. Benjamin Franklin (1755) addressed this in a now-famous quote: “Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.”

Key ethical theorists Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau considered the relationship between individuals and their governments and social institutions in terms of social contract theory. This suggests that a person’s ethical and political responsibilities are based on understood agreements (with government, with social institutions, with each other) that shape society.  As you prepare for this assessment, you will consider examples of the balance (and sometimes tension) between individual freedom and social institutions and choose one to address in an essay.

Demonstration of Proficiency

By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies:

• Competency 1: Explain the nature of ethical issues.
  • Explain the ethical basis for the relation of individuals to their government.
• Competency 2: Critically examine the contributions of key thinkers from the history of ethics.
  • Describe the social contract theories of Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau.
• Competency 3: Engage in ethical debate.
  • Assess the advantages and disadvantages of theories as they relate to a selected issue.
• Competency 4: Develop a position on a contemporary ethical issue.
  • Apply traditional social contract theories to a selected contemporary issue.
• Competency 5: Communicate effectively in the context of personal and professional moral discourse.
  • Communicate in a manner that is scholarly, professional, and consistent with expectations for members of professional communities.

Reference

Larabee, L. W. (1962). The papers of Benjamin Franklin. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.

Overview

Political philosophy concerns itself with the formation and maintenance of civil societies. Its central theme is the need to explain the relationship between individual human beings and their governments. You have been considering several specific examples of the tension between individual freedom and social institutions. From among those examples, you have chosen one as the focus for your own views on freedom and authority.

Instructions

Your assessment is to write an essay assessing the issue you selected, both in terms of versions of social contract theory proposed by Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau and from your own view of the proper relation between society and the individual.

Address the following concepts in your essay:

1. Explain the ethical basis for the relation of individuals to their government
2. Describe the theories of Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau about how societies are organized.
3. Assess the strengths and weaknesses of the theories in justifying the imposition of authority over individuals.
4. Apply these social contract theories to the issue you have selected.

Your instructor may provide video feedback on your work, as well as completing the official scoring guide for the assessment.

Additional Requirements

• Written communication: Ensure written communication is free of errors that detract from the overall message.
• APA formatting: Format resources and citations according to current APA style guidelines.
• Number of resources: Use your judgment to ensure your topic is thoroughly researched. There is no minimum number of resources required, however.
• Length of paper: Submit 2-3 typed, double-spaced pages.
• Font and font size: Use Arial, 12-point font.

Freedom and Authority Scoring Guide

CRITERIANON-PERFORMANCEBASICPROFICIENTDISTINGUISHEDExplain the ethical basis for the relation of individuals to their government.

Does not identify the ethical basis for the relation of individuals to their government.

Identifies the ethical basis for the relation of individuals to their government.

Explains the ethical basis for the relation of individuals to their government.

Justifies the ethical basis for the relation of individuals to their government, using supporting resources.

Describe the social contract theories of Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau.

Does not list features of the social contract theories of Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau.

Lists features of the social contract theories of Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau.

Describes the social contract theories of Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau.

Explains the social contract theories of Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau.

Assess the advantages and disadvantages of theories as they relate to a selected issue.

Does not assess the advantages and disadvantages of theories as they relate to a selected issue.

Assesses the advantages or disadvantages of theories as they relate to a selected issue, but not both.

Assesses the advantages and disadvantages of theories as they relate to a selected issue.

Assesses the advantages and disadvantages of theories as they relate to a selected issue, supporting the assessment with research.

Apply traditional social contract theories to a selected contemporary issue.

Does not describe traditional social contract theories to a selected contemporary issue.

Describes traditional social contract theories as they relate to a selected contemporary issue.

Applies traditional social contract theories to a selected contemporary issue.

Applies traditional social contract theories to a selected contemporary issue, with the support of detailed research.

Communicate in a manner that is scholarly, professional, and consistent with expectations for members of professional communities.

Does not communicate in a manner that is scholarly, professional, or consistent with expectations for members of professional communities.

Communicates inconsistently in a manner of scholarly and professional expectations for members of professional communities.

Communicates in a manner that is scholarly, professional, and consistent with expectations for members of professional communities.

Communicates in a manner that is scholarly, professional, and consistent with expectations for members of professional communities, with written communication that is free of errors that detract from the overall message.

Suggested Resources

The following optional resources are provided to support you in completing the assessment or to provide a helpful context. For additional resources, refer to the Research Resources and Supplemental Resources in the left navigation menu of your courseroom. Be sure to return to the course learning resources in u01r2 to help with the work on your assessment.

Hobbes

• Cudd, A., & Eftekhari, S. (2017). Contractariansim. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved from https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/contractarianism/
  • Pages 1-11.
• Kemerling, G. (2011). Hobbes’s Leviathan. The Philosophy Pages. Retrieved from http://www.philosophypages.com/hy/3x.htm#mech
  • Pages 1-3.
• Lloyd, S. A., & Sreedhar, S. (2018). Hobbes’s moral and political philosophy. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved from https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/hobbes-moral/
  • Pages 1-8.
• Williams, G. (n.d.). Thomas Hobbes: Moral and political philosophy. Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy​. Retrieved from https://www.iep.utm.edu/hobmoral/
  • Pages 1-18.

Locke

• Kemerling, G. (2011). Locke: Social order. Philosophy Pages. Retrieved from http://www.philosophypages.com/hy/4n.htm
  • Pages 1-4.
• Locke, J., & Cox, R. H. (1982). Second treatise of government: An essay concerning the true original, extent and end of civil government. New York, NY: Crofts Classics.
• Moseley, A. (n.d.). John Locke: Political philosophy. Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved from https://www.iep.utm.edu/locke-po/
  • Pages 1-37.
• Tuckness, A. (2016). Locke’s political philosophy. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved from https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/locke-political/
  • Pages 1-19.

Rousseau

• Bertram, C. (2017). Jean Jacques Rousseau. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved from https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/rousseau/
  • Pages 1-20.
• Delaney, J. J. (n.d.). Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778): The social contract. Retrieved from http://www.iep.utm.edu/rousseau/#H4
  • Pages 11-12.
• Kemerling, G. (2011). Rousseau. Philosophy Pages. Retrieved from http://www.philosophypages.com/hy/5d.htm
  • ​Pages 1-3.
• Wraight, C. D. (2008). Rousseau’s the social contract: A reader’s guide. London, England: Bloomsbury.
• Social Contract Theory.
  • This multimedia piece will enhance your understanding of social contract theory.

Individual Freedom

• Skillsoft. (n.d.). Overcoming your own unconscious biases [Tutorial].
  • The systemic influence of cultural presumptions often infringes upon individual freedom. Use this Skillsoft video to explore the biases to which we may be susceptible.
  • Running time: 22:00.
• Skillsoft. (n.d.). Influence others with political savvy [Tutorial].
  • ​​This Skillsoft tutorial describes some workplace opportunities to deal with the potential conflict between collective limitations on individual freedom.
  • Running time: 22:00.