Contractarianism Imagine a world with no rules and no laws. You would have an abundance of freedom. But a lack of security. Thomas Hobbes called this "the state of nature." Hobbes imagined the State of Nature to be rough, brutish, and just plain mean. Hobbes argued that people would be willing to give up some of their rights to live under the protection of civilization. Giving up a 'right' or 'rights' would occur under a contract. Good acts do not violate the rational agreements that we've made. Contractarianism is when people or parties come together and make an agreement that benefits both parties and does not harm the other person or party. Hobbes was Antirealist about morality. Hobbes believed that we simply make morality up. Hobbes believed that when you get a group of 'free' 'self-interested' 'rational' individuals living together, morality will simply immerge. For example, we live next door to each other in the ...