The responsibility of the individual to society - Essay Example

Each individual is saddled with the responsibility of working with other individuals of the society in order to help the society to achieve the goals and objectives of building a better world. It is through the symbiotic relationship that exists between the different individuals of the society that would guarantee the maintenance of the sovereignty of the society and the peaceful existence of each individual of the society. The law of nature has made it important for the individuals of the society to play specific roles.

A notable philosopher, Antiphon stipulates that the law of Nature is based on each individual’s instinct to do things that would keep them away from danger, that is, individuals are expected to do things that are beneficial to life and naturally pleasant. The implication of this is that as individuals living in the society, they must try as much as possible to do things that are beneficial to the society. Antiphon described the adherence to the law of Nature as the observance of the principle of self-preservation and when each individual have the instinct to do things that would keep them safe from danger, the society would also be free from danger.

This law of nature must be observed by all the individuals living in the society and any attempt to evade the laws of nature would be met with dire consequences (Plato). Socrates believed that, individuals had the right to obey whichever authority, they choose to obey and that, individuals must take full responsibilities for these decisions (Walzer). This means that every individual is not under any compulsion to do things against their will. Socrates’ belief is based on the freedom of choice.

Socrates’ argument is an epistemological one and the British philosopher, John Stuart Mill also belongs to this school of thought. Socrates and Mill believed that every individual have the innate ability to decide what is best for them (Walzer). Socrates believed that each individual must make attempt to discern the truth by themselves through closely controlled, self-effacing and tolerant dialogue (Walzer). Quite similar to Socrates’ arguments, Mill opined that the onus lies on the shoulders of the individual to decide what is best for him or her.

According to Mill, “Justice implies something which it is not only right to do, and wrong not to do, but which some individual person can claim from us as his moral right.” (Mill par. 14). The two of them agree that people should tolerate the opinion of others as this would help in establishing the truth about a particular subject matter as the use of force or compulsion in making people accept a particular point of view is not the best pedagogical approach (Walzer). One of the founding fathers of the United States of America, Thomas Jefferson also recognizes the responsibility of the individual in a society.

Jefferson spoke on how the American constitution should be interpreted and said that people should be given freedom on how they observe the written laws of the constitution. He claims that the observance of the constitution is one of the obligations of each individual of the US, but it is not the most important priority, Jefferson asserts that the most important duty of every American citizen are to defend the country at all times and maintain the sovereignty of the country (Jefferson). According to Jefferson, “