Consider the following about Hobbes Social Contract.
1. Sovereign authority is artificially created.
2. Sovereign cannot take the life of individual.
Which among the above is/are correct?

To evaluate the statements about Thomas Hobbes's Social Contract theory, as presented in his work *Leviathan* (1651), let's analyze each statement based on his philosophy:

1. **Sovereign authority is artificially created.**
This statement is **correct**. In Hobbes's Social Contract theory, the sovereign authority is established through a mutual agreement or contract among individuals in the state of nature. People, seeking to escape the chaotic and dangerous conditions of the state of nature (where life is "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short"), voluntarily surrender certain natural rights to a sovereign to ensure security and order. This sovereign authority is thus an artificial construct, created by human agreement, not a natural or divine entity.

2. **Sovereign cannot take the life of individual.**
This statement is **incorrect**. According to Hobbes, the sovereign has near-absolute authority to maintain order and security, which includes the power to enforce laws and, if necessary, take the life of an individual (e.g., through punishment for crimes or in defense of the commonwealth). However, Hobbes does emphasize that individuals retain the natural right to self-preservation. If the sovereign directly threatens an individual's life without just cause (e.g., arbitrarily), the individual may resist, as the fundamental purpose of the social contract is to protect life. This does not mean the sovereign lacks the authority to take life in principle, especially in matters of law enforcement or state security.

**Conclusion**: Only statement 1 is correct.