Civil society is the artificial deterrent to man's basically antisocial tendencies. His position is similar to that of every human being in the hypothetical state of nature, where there are no rules, where laws do not exist, and where one can do whatever he wants as long as he can get away with it. Use both Hobbes' and the ancient Greek understanding of freedom to answer these questions. But a state of war exists not only between man and man, but also between man and non-human nature. Hobbes's attitude toward nature, whether human or non-human, is one of fear.
Natural forces threaten human life every bit as much as human beings do.
One must tame these natural forces, subdue and conquer them. Hobbes sees the person and society in context, but this context is a powerful and threatening universe against which one has no choice but to secure a cunning defense. In the ancient view, nature was regarded as a home and not a rival, as supportive and not niggardly. For Hobbes, if God exists, he is neither providential nor compassionate toward humans. God represents one more force to be feared.