Hobbes and the Mitigated Adversative Account of Public Interest: Turning Held’s Reading Inside Out

This essay explores the concept of “public interest” through various lenses, including ethical considerations and skepticism. We examined “unitary,” “common good,” and “aggregative accounts,” alongside critiques of its “holistic” and “factual value,” while analyzing Virginia Held’s Hobbesian interpretation. Though Hobbesian views share some similarities with favorable public interest accounts, they differ notably. Our proposed “mitigated adversative account of public interest,” particularly a Hobbesian variant, recognizes these nuances, stressing the importance of both instrumental aspects and the complexities inherent in “public interest.” This approach underscores the balance between ideals and practical governance, effectively inverting Held’s reading.