▁Thomas ▁Hob bes ▁in ▁his ▁treat ises ▁Le vi athan ▁and ▁De ▁C ive , ▁natural ▁law ▁is ▁" a ▁pre cept , ▁or ▁general ▁rule , ▁found ▁out ▁by ▁reason , ▁by ▁which ▁a ▁man ▁is ▁forb idden ▁to ▁do ▁that ▁which ▁is ▁destruct ive ▁of ▁his ▁life , ▁or ▁takes ▁away ▁the ▁means ▁of ▁pres erving ▁the ▁same ; ▁and ▁to ▁o mit ▁that ▁by ▁which ▁he ▁thinks ▁it ▁may ▁best ▁be ▁preserved ." ▁ ▁According ▁to ▁Hob bes , ▁there ▁are ▁nin ete en ▁La ws . ▁The ▁first ▁two ▁are ▁exp ounded ▁in ▁chapter ▁XIV ▁of ▁Le vi athan ▁(" of ▁the ▁first ▁and ▁second ▁natural ▁laws ; ▁and ▁of ▁contract s "); ▁the ▁others ▁in ▁chapter ▁XV ▁(" of ▁other ▁laws ▁of ▁nature "). ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁law ▁of ▁nature ▁is ▁that ▁every ▁man ▁ought ▁to ▁endeav our ▁peace , ▁as ▁far ▁as ▁he ▁has ▁hope ▁of ▁obtain ing ▁it ; ▁and ▁when ▁he ▁cannot ▁obtain ▁it , ▁that ▁he ▁may ▁seek ▁and ▁use ▁all ▁helps ▁and ▁advantages ▁of ▁war . ▁ ▁The ▁second ▁law ▁of ▁nature ▁is ▁that ▁a ▁man ▁be ▁willing , ▁when ▁others ▁are ▁so ▁too , ▁as ▁far ▁forth , ▁as ▁for ▁peace , ▁and ▁defence ▁of ▁himself ▁he ▁shall ▁think ▁it ▁necessary , ▁to ▁lay ▁down ▁this ▁right ▁to ▁all ▁things ; ▁and ▁be ▁content ed ▁with ▁so ▁much ▁liberty ▁against ▁other ▁men , ▁as ▁he ▁would ▁allow ▁other ▁men ▁against ▁himself . ▁The ▁third ▁law ▁is ▁that ▁men ▁perform ▁their ▁c oven