The child, later named Victor, who is found living in the woods in France is very much in a state of nature according to Hobbes and Rousseau. Hobbes viewed the state of nature as people living savage lives that consisted of competition for necessities such as food and shelter. Victor probably lived a life in this fashion due to the scars he had on his body. He probably competed with animals for food and had to fight them for his own protection. In Hobbes' moral theory, he states that men are directed by their appetites and aversions to judge what is good or evil. They basically act on impulse. Victor did not have any concept of how to treat another human being. He kicked and hit other people when they would try to get near him.
It could be argued that Victor was not treated morally as a human being because he was placed in an institution as a show animal for the media. One of the researchers ended up taking Victor to his home where he established a relationship with him, and tried to educate him. At one point, to determine if Victor understands morality, the researcher wrongly punishes him after he completes a task successfully. Victor fought back and the researcher realized he understood right from wrong.
Rousseau believed men in the state of nature to be animals with reasoning. As the human learns more, they will desire more. Man is drawn out of the first state of nature which causes him to lose innocence of not entirely knowing good and evil. This theory could be applied to Victor because he learned what is acceptable and what is not because of the researcher's teaching. Rousseau feels that in the state of nature there is a type of tranquility because you are innocent of right and wrong since you have never been taught morals. Humanity will never be able to return to this state according to Rousseau because they now know too much to return to the simple living in the state of nature. However, Victor did not fully learn to communicate and only learned to speak the word milk in French. Towards the end of the movie, Victor runs away from home only to return. Even though Victor did not completely master communication, he learned enough to know that he would not enjoy returning to the solitude and survival mode he once lived in.
It could be argued that Victor was not treated morally as a human being because he was placed in an institution as a show animal for the media. One of the researchers ended up taking Victor to his home where he established a relationship with him, and tried to educate him. At one point, to determine if Victor understands morality, the researcher wrongly punishes him after he completes a task successfully. Victor fought back and the researcher realized he understood right from wrong.
Rousseau believed men in the state of nature to be animals with reasoning. As the human learns more, they will desire more. Man is drawn out of the first state of nature which causes him to lose innocence of not entirely knowing good and evil. This theory could be applied to Victor because he learned what is acceptable and what is not because of the researcher's teaching. Rousseau feels that in the state of nature there is a type of tranquility because you are innocent of right and wrong since you have never been taught morals. Humanity will never be able to return to this state according to Rousseau because they now know too much to return to the simple living in the state of nature. However, Victor did not fully learn to communicate and only learned to speak the word milk in French. Towards the end of the movie, Victor runs away from home only to return. Even though Victor did not completely master communication, he learned enough to know that he would not enjoy returning to the solitude and survival mode he once lived in.