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How did Hobbes connect natural law with peace and security?

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Painting by Rembrandt showing Aristotle in rich dark clothing with a gold chain, resting his hand thoughtfully on a marble bust of Homer, illuminated against a dark background. — natural law *Aristotle Contemplating the Bust of Homer*, oil on canvas by Rembrandt van Rijn, 1653; in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

For Thomas Hobbes, the connection between natural law and peace is rooted in the rational necessity of self-preservation. In his view, the state of nature is a condition of constant conflict—a "war of all against all"—where individuals possess a natural right to everything, leading to a life that is "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short".1234

Hobbes defined the law of nature as a precept discovered by reason that forbids individuals from acting in ways destructive to their own lives. Because humans are rational and self-interested, they recognize that peace is the only way to ensure their security. Consequently, the first law of nature dictates that every person should seek peace when possible.5463

However, because promises in the state of nature are unreliable, peace can only be secured through a social contract. Individuals agree to transfer their right of self-governance to a sovereign—the Leviathan—who possesses the power to enforce the contract and punish those who threaten the collective security. Thus, for Hobbes, natural law provides the rational foundation for establishing a civil authority, which is the only effective bulwark against anarchy.4612