Sartre values Hobbes...so should you!

In Boethius’ translation, a work encompassing the Eve and metaphysical viewpoint, it is indicated that God created us with a nature to obey him.

He [God]
The first life bids, that needs must be,
And live on for a time; that done
He calls it back, merely to shun
The mischief, which his creature might
Run into by a further flight.

God also created us with Love in our hearts right from the start

A grain of this bright love each thing
Had given at first by their great King;

Moreover, it does not matter how far we stray, we will always have this innate love for God, and need for him.

And from their great preserver part,
As blood let out forsakes the heart
And perisheth; but what returns
With fresh and brighter spirits burns.

The Metaphysical viewpoint would take that stance that human beings have a natural essence that was instilled in us by God. Thus, we naturally have a capacity for Loving one another, created in us at birth by God. Moreover, we constantly yearn for this. I was reading some Sartre this fine morning (no, not for fun), and I found some of the things he said highly relevant for our own polemic.

For those of you not familiar with Sartre, I will give you a brief précis on what I have read.

Sartre believes that there is no given human nature common to everyone because there is no God to give all humans this essential quality. Only after we exist on earth, can any essence that we call human develop. Each of us must develop, define and decide our own nature through engagement with ourselves, with society and with the natural world. Thus, because each person’s own human nature is dependent upon that person, we are solely responsible because what we do is dependent upon our own choices. Essentially, you have nobody to blame but yourself. But, because we share a common human condition, like we all live together, live in human society and are faced daily with the same sorts of decisions, in this, we are members of a community. Choices that we make, about what we feel is valuable and important (despite what some authority is telling us how to behave) we will see as values others should choose as well. Our choices affect others, and thus in some way we become responsible for others as well as ourselves, and so we must accept some responsibility for others doing as we do.

This follows an extremely Hobbsian line of thought. Sartre rejects that we are born with any innate human nature. Thus, he would reject any Metaphysical argument that we are born with Love in our hearts.

Sartre says that despite what others think, choices that we make about what we feel is valuable and important we will see as values others should choose as well, despite what some authority may be telling us. IF we think that others should have the same values, and beliefs as us, regardless if human nature is through essence or existence, we will naturally bond and seek companionship with those who have the same values. For instance, if we do not believe in killing children (no matter if God instilled this in us or not), we will expect others to also view this trait negatively. Thus, just by this fact alone, if some sort of commonwealth was going to be formed, Sartre would say that we would not vote for someone who promotes this particular activity. And so, really, when Sartre says that we must accept some responsibility for others doing as we do, he is giving an argument for Hobbes social contract. Hobbes says that in forming the commonwealth, we give over power to the sovereign, and Sartre hints at this having to occur.