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Political philosophy thomas hobbes
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AUTHORS: Thomas Hobbes, (1588-1679), was a Philosopher, Scientist and Historian from Wiltshire, England. Following his graduation from the University of Oxford, Hobbes went to work as a private tutor for the young William Cavendish, son of the First Earl of Devonshire. Later William became a Member of Parliament and was accompanied by Hobbes to many debates. During this exposure Hobbes wrote a piece, which later was printed as The Elements of War, Natural and Politic. Although he did not expect the book to be published, it is known to be his first piece on Political Philosophy. In this book, Hobbes defended the ideas of King Charles I, in regards to his royal duties. Parliament used the writings in its arguments with the King prompting the English Civil War. Ultimately the King was executed for treason. Hobbes subsequently fled to Paris in fear of his safety where he began to write a trilogy called Elements of Philosophy concentrating on politics, natural sciences and psychology.
Hobbes had a pessimistic view on society believing that individuals are selfish, and would do anything for personal gain. He feared the disarray that selfishness would create within mankind. This bias shows vastly through his work in Leviathan where he wrote that in order to have peace and security individuals must give up personal freedoms to a Sovereign Leader. An example of this being that, as part of a “social contract,” each individual relinquishes the right to take property from another. These philosophies are what Thomas Hobbes is most remembered by today.
SUMMARY: Leviathan was written while Thomas Hobbes lived in Paris, during the English Civil War. In his book he stated that “the state of nature” is a terrible way for humankind ...
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...ed, comprised of State Representatives and Senators, who would form laws in order to keep harmony within its states. This document continues to be essential in maintaining stability within our Country.
Works Cited
"Thomas Hobbes." 2014. The Biography Channel website. Web. Feb 04 2014 http://www.biography.com/people/thomas-hobbes-9340461. "Thomas Hobbes". Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
Encyclopedia Britannica Inc., 2014. Web. 04 Feb. 2014 http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/268448/Thomas-Hobbes. "Leviathan." 1651. Sources of Western Society. 2nd ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2011. p. 265. Print.
Ibid., p. 266-267
Ibid., p. 267
"Daniel Shays". Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
Encyclopedia Britannica Inc., 2014. Web. 05 Feb. 2014
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/539191/Daniel-Shays.
The foremost aspects to consider from the Leviathan are Hobbes’s views on human nature, what the state of nature consists of, and what role morality plays. Hobbes assumes, taking the position of a scientist, that humans are “bodies in motion.” In other words, simple mechanical existences motivated solely to gain sati...
Thomas Hobbes and John Locke are two political philosophers who are famous for their theories about the formation of the society and discussing man in his natural state. Their theories are both psychologically insightful, but in nature, they are drastically different. Although they lived in the same timeframe, their ideas were derived from different events happening during this time. Hobbes drew his ideas on man from observation, during a time of civil strife in Europe during the 1640's and 1650's.
Thomas Hobbes and John Locke were seventeenth century political philosophers whose different beliefs stemmed from the different contexts in which each man lived.
Born in Malmesbury, England, Thomas Hobbes (1588–1679) was a philosopher and political theorist widely renowned for his 1651 book Leviathan. He was educated at Oxford, lived for a time in Paris and there met philosopher Rene ́ Descartes, traveled to Italy and met Galileo, and served as a tutor of Charles II. Leviathan brings together parts of Hobbes’s previously published writings, including the 1642 Latin work De Cive and the 1640 Elements of Law, Natural and Political. Hobbes was also author
Available at: http://www.infidels.org/library/historical/thomas_hobbes/leviathan.html.
Thomas Hobbes begins Leviathan with Book 1: Of Man, in which he builds, layer by layer, a foundation for his eventual argument that the “natural condition” of man, or one without sovereign control, is one of continuous war, violence, death, and fear.
Hobbes, Thomas, and C. B. Macpherson. Leviathan ; Edited with an Introduction by C.B. MacPherson. Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1968. Print.
Hobbes, T. (1839-45) The English Works of Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury; Now First Collected and Edited by Sir William Molesworth, Bart. Vol. 3. Leviathan. London: Bohn. Accessed via: http://oll.libertyfund.org/titles/hobbes-the-english-works-vol-iii-leviathan
He started out on with philosophy of political science while on his trips and visits to other countries outside of England to listen to other scientists and learn different forms of government. While studying, Thomas Hobbes wondered about why people were allowing themselves to be ruled and what would a great form of government for England. He reasoned that people were naturally wicked and shouldn’t be trusted to govern themselves because they were selfish creatures and would do anything to better their position and social status. These people, when left alone will go back to their evil impulses to get a better advantage over others. So Thomas Hobbes concluded that the best form of government would an absolute monarchy, which is a government
����������� Thomas Hobbes is an important political and social philosopher. He shares his political philosophy in his work Leviathan. Hobbes begins by describing the state of nature, which is how humans coped with one another prior to the existence of government. He explains that without government, �the weakest has the strength to kill the strongest� (Hobbes 507). People will do whatever it takes to further their own interests and protect their selves; thus, creating a constant war of �every man against every man� (Hobbes 508). His three reasons for people fighting amongst each other prior to government include �competition,� �diffidence,� and �glory� (Hobbes 508). He explains how men fight to take power over other people�s property, to protect them selves, and to achieve fame. He describes life in the state of nature as being �solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short� (Hobbes 508). Hobbes goes on to say that if men can go on to do as they please, there will always be war. To get out of this state of nature, individuals created contracts with each other and began to form a government.
The main critics of Thomas Hobbes’ work are most often those with a more optimistic view of human nature. However, if one is to really look at a man’s actions in depth, a self-serving motivation can always be found. The main problem with Hobbes’ claims is that he does not account for the more Darwinian perspective that helping one’s own species survive is at the same time a selfish and unwar-like act. Thus his conclusion that without a governing body, we are essentially at war with one another is not completely true as years of evolution can help disprove.
Hobbes, on the other hand argues that justice is needed for people to live together in civil society. He outlines this idea down to human beings in the
Thomas Hobbes wrote a book about his ideas called the Leviathan. In his book he argued that people were naturally cruel, greedy and selfish. He thought that if people were not strictly controlled, they would fight, rob and oppress one another. He believed society must be ruled by an Absolute Monarch.
Hobbes was a strong believer in the thought that human nature was evil. He believed that “only the unlimited power of a sovereign could contain human passions that disrupt the social order and threatened civilized life.” Hobbes believed that human nature was a force that would lead to a constant state of war if it was not controlled. In his work the Leviathan, he laid out a secular political statement in which he stated the significance of absolutism.
Hobbes believed that human beings naturally desire the power to live well and that they will never be satisfied with the power they have without acquiring more power. After this, he believes, there usually succeeds a new desire such as fame and glory, ease and sensual pleasure or admiration from others. He also believed that all people are created equally. That everyone is equally capable of killing each other because although one man may be stronger than another, the weaker may be compensated for by his intellect or some other individual aspect. Hobbes believed that the nature of humanity leads people to seek power. He said that when two or more people want the same thing, they become enemies and attempt to destroy each other. He called this time when men oppose each other war. He said that there were three basic causes for war, competition, distrust and glory. In each of these cases, men use violence to invade their enemies territory either for their personal gain, their safety or for glory. He said that without a common power to unite the people, they would be in a war of every man against every man as long as the will to fight is known. He believed that this state of war was the natural state of human beings and that harmony among human beings is artificial because it is based on an agreement. If a group of people had something in common such as a common interest or a common goal, they would not be at war and united they would be more powerful against those who would seek to destroy them. One thing he noted that was consistent in all men was their interest in self-preservation.