Showing results by author "Thomas Hobbes" in All Categories

Born out of the political turmoil of the English Civil War, Leviathan stands out as one of the most in influential political and philosophical texts of the 17th century. It argues for the restoration of the monarchy in light of the republic and calls for a commonwealth ruled by an authoritative, autocratic figure with absolute sovereignty. This would put an end to all controversy, war, and fear and establish peace via social contract.

Brought to you by Penguin. This Penguin Classic is performed by Philip Stevens. This definitive recording includes an introduction by Christopher Brooke. Thomas Hobbes lived through the Thirty Years War and Britain's civil wars, and the trauma of these events led to his great masterpiece of...

The leviathan is the vast unity of the State. But how are unity, peace, and security to be attained? Hobbes’ answer is sovereignty, but the resurgence of interest today in Leviathan is due less to its answers than its methods: Hobbes sees politics as a science capable of the same axiomatic approach as geometry.

Published in 1651, Leviathan is considered to be one of the most important works of political philosophy and a major contribution to the modern idea of central government. In the mid-17th century, England was going through a turbulent time of change and unrest, which likely shaped Hobbes' ideas on strong government. Thomas Hobbes established the social contract theory. He believed that self-government did not create the ideal state due to the human tendency to be self-serving, something he believed would eventually lead to chaos.

De Cive, or On the Citizen, stands as one of Thomas Hobbess most significant works. Originally published in Latin in Paris in 1642, it saw two additional editions in Latin from Amsterdam in 1647, followed by its first English translation in 1651 under the title Philosophicall rudiments concerning government and society. This foundational text not only sets the stage for the themes explored in Hobbess more famous work, Leviathan, but it also introduces the iconic phrase bellum omnium contra omnes, or war of all against all. Join us as we delve into Hobbess insights that continue to resonate in ...

In a world rife with willful chaos, how can order be restored? Philosopher Thomas Hobbes’s answer, composed amid the violence of the English Civil War, revolutionized political thought. His solution was a commonwealth, or Leviathan, a body politic ruled and protected by an absolute sovereign. Its power would be dependent on the people to exchange their freedom for the security and order of a common law. Only with this social contract, Hobbes argued, can civil peace be established.

Thomas Hobbes's Leviathan is not just one of the greatest philosophical texts in the English language; it is one of the most important works in the history of Western political thought. Almost every major tradition in the centuries after Hobbes—from radical democracy to authoritarianism—has been influenced by its arguments. Written in exile in a period of dramatic developments—civil war and regicide—Leviathan is in some ways the product of its own special circumstances. And yet, at the same time, it deals with fundamental issues that matter to all of us today.

"Leviatán" es una obra de Thomas Hobbes publicada en 1651. El nombre "Leviatán" hace referencia a un monstruo marino bíblico descrito en el libro de Job y los Salmos, y es utilizado metafóricamente para representar al poderoso Estado. La obra significó un antes y un después en la teoría política. Hobbes sostenía que el ser humano, en su estado natural, es egoísta y competitivo, lo que conduce a una "guerra de todos contra todos" en busca de poder y recursos.

In Books 3 and 4 of Leviathan, Thomas Hobbes delves deeper into his revolutionary political philosophy, focusing on the concept of a Christian commonwealth. Book 3 opens with a rich exploration of biblical scholarship aimed at affirming the authority of Scripture while challenging modern claims of supernatural revelation that threaten civil law. Hobbes argues that the certainty of divine revelation is elusive, positioning religious authority as subordinate to civil power. Meanwhile, Book 4, titled “Of the Kingdom of Darkness,” critiques the churchs misinterpretation of Scripture, ...

In Leviathan, published in 1651, Thomas Hobbes delves into the intricate structure of society, using the biblical Leviathan as a powerful metaphor. His work, influenced by the tumult of the English Civil War, presents a compelling argument for a social contract and the necessity of a strong sovereign to maintain order. Hobbes famously posits that without such governance, humanity is condemned to a chaotic state of nature, exemplified by his assertion of Bellum omnium contra omnes—the war of all against all. He contends that rebellion against the social contract is unjustified, yet ...

Written during the English Civil War, of which Hobbes had first-hand experience, Leviathan argues for political rule by an absolute authority. Hobbes claimed that human nature was, at its core, ruthless and brutal: people were selfish, self-interested and likely to cause conflict for one another. In order to combat this chaos, individuals ought to submit to a sovereign – a ‘Leviathan’ – in exchange for order, security and peace.