Even though they may not be aware of it, complex philosophical principles influence the simple actions of the daily lives of the masses. In fact, long-standing and well-defined controversies in basic philosophy regarding the actions of human beings have affected not only individuals, but entire countries. Some of the greatest nations on the planet were formed around the key thoughts and opinions of several great philosophers. Chief among these are John Locke and Thomas Hobbes, both of whom wrote about the “state of nature,” or the state of absolute freedom. Even though Locke and Hobbes had very different views on the natural state of human beings, no matter who you are, your life is in one way or another affected by their philosophical writings. As stated previously, nations often base themselves and therefore their common laws on the chosen philosophy of human beings. the country. For example, in the United States of America, police officers carry guns. In Britain, however, officers are prohibited from carrying extremely harmful weapons such as firearms and instead carry the classic baton. To the average citizen of each of these countries, the policies their law enforcement agencies adhere to make perfect sense, while the policies of the opposite country appear to be either dangerous and too violent, or too merciful. However, the reason these two sister nations differ so greatly comes down to one simple thing: the gun policy imposed on American officers is different from that used in Britain due to conflicting common philosophical beliefs found in both countries, where America takes a naturalist view, believing that humans are inherently evil, and Britain sports a rather rationalist view, in which hum...... middle of paper . ..... there is no need to use such extreme irreversibility and almost brutal violence against individuals who they believe can re-enter society. These two different philosophical principles are the main reason why the two countries differ. Whether or not the creators of these two countries intended for the principles of the 15th century philosophers to shape their respective nations, there is no denying that they obviously did. and that Locke and Hobbes thus became two of the most influential philosophers. Despite the differing opinions, it is clear that philosophies about the state of nature play an important role in shaping the opinions of a country's citizens by directly affecting their law. Whether it is gun laws or general culture and lifestyle, the theories of naturalism and rationalism are undeniably the basis of any nation..