KANT AND HOBBES: BINDING COHERENCE AND INCOHERENCE BEFORE A TYRANNICAL OR UNJUST STATE

Abstract

The text presents the concept of obligation in Hobbes and Kant. It is argued that Kant was not able to maintain the coherence of his concept of obli­gation when he dealt with its application to the extreme case of jus necessitatis, since he had to distinguish between punishment and guilt [for one is not to be judged inculpable (inculpabile) but only unpunishable (impunibile)]. Hobbes, for his part, was able to maintain the coherence of his concept of obligation even in this case.