Nothing can exist in a natural state which can be called good or bad by common assent, since every man who is in natural state consults only his own advantage, and determines what is good or bad according to his own fancy and insofar as he has regard for his own advantage alone, and holds himself responsible to no one save himself by any law; and therefore sin cannot be conceived in a natural state, but only a civil state, which is decreed by common consent what is good or bad, and each one holds himself responsible to the state.

Correct Option (A)

The passage explicitly states that in a natural state, individuals operate solely based on their own advantage, without a common understanding of good or bad, or the concept of sin. These moral and ethical distinctions, including what is considered right or wrong, are presented as emerging exclusively within a civil state. This civil state is formed by common consent, establishing shared definitions of good and bad, and making individuals accountable to the state. Thus, the formation of a state is depicted as the foundational condition for the existence of conceptions of right and wrong.

Incorrect Options:

Option (B): This statement refers to a "ruling authority" as the decider of right or wrong. However, the passage emphasizes the establishment of a "civil state" through "common consent," indicating a collective agreement rather than a top-down decree from a singular authority.

Option (C): While the passage describes individuals in a natural state as consulting only their own advantage, which implies selfishness, it does not categorize them as "immoral." Instead, it suggests an absence of moral categories (good/bad, sin) in the natural state due to the lack of a shared societal framework, implying an amoral condition rather than an immoral one.

Option (D): The passage's central theme revolves around the origin and nature of moral concepts (right/wrong, good/bad, sin) in relation to the formation of a civil society. It does not address or imply that these ideas are necessary for the "survival of the human species." This aspect falls outside the scope of the provided text.