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Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) was an English philosopher and political theorist who is best known for his works on political philosophy, including "Leviathan," which is considered one of the most influential works of political philosophy in the Western tradition.
Hobbes was born in Westport, near Malmesbury, in Wiltshire, England, on April 5, 1588. He was the son of a country vicar, and he received his early education at a local school. Hobbes's mother was a descendant of a wealthy family, but his father was not financially successful, and the family struggled to make ends meet.
Hobbes was a bright student, and he received a scholarship to attend Magdalen Hall at Oxford University. There, he studied logic, metaphysics, and mathematics, but he did not complete his degree. Instead, he left Oxford after just one year to become a tutor for the Cavendish family, one of the wealthiest and most powerful families in England.
As a tutor, Hobbes had access to the latest ideas and intellectual debates of his time, and he began to develop his own ideas about philosophy and politics. He also traveled extensively throughout Europe, where he met many of the leading thinkers of his day, including Galileo Galilei and Rene Descartes.
During the English Civil War, which took place from 1642 to 1651, Hobbes was living in England and working as a tutor for the Cavendish family. Hobbes was a supporter of the royalist cause, which sought to preserve the power and authority of the monarchy, and he was critical of the parliamentary forces that were seeking to limit the power of the king.
As the civil war intensified, Hobbes's political views became increasingly controversial, and he became a target of criticism and ridicule. In 1640, Hobbes published a book called "The Elements of Law," which argued that the king had the right to rule by divine right, and that the power of the monarch should be absolute.
Hobbes's views were seen as deeply reactionary and out of touch with the changing political landscape of England, and he was forced to flee the country in 1640. He first went to Paris, where he began to write and publish his works in earnest. During this period, he wrote "De Cive," which was published in 1642 and "Leviathan," which was published in 1651.
"Leviathan" is perhaps Hobbes's most famous work, and it is widely regarded as a landmark in the history of political philosophy. In the book, Hobbes argues that the state of nature is a condition of war, in which individuals are in constant competition with one another for resources and survival. According to Hobbes, this state of nature is inherently violent and chaotic, and it is only through the establishment of a strong, centralized government that individuals can be protected from one another.
Hobbes argues that individuals must surrender their rights and freedoms to the sovereign, who is empowered to use force to maintain order and ensure the security of the state. This idea of the absolute authority of the sovereign is a central tenet of Hobbes's political philosophy, and it has been the subject of much debate and criticism over the centuries.
Despite its controversial nature, "Leviathan" was a critical and commercial success, and it helped to establish Hobbes as one of the most important political thinkers of his time.
Hobbes's ideas were controversial, and he was often criticized for his views on religion and politics. Nevertheless, his work had a profound influence on the development of modern political philosophy, and his ideas continue to be studied and debated today.
Thomas Hobbes's political views were shaped by the tumultuous political climate of 17th century England, which was marked by religious conflict, civil war, and the struggle for power between the monarchy and Parliament.
Hobbes initially supported the monarchy and was critical of Parliament's attempts to limit the power of the king. He believed that the monarch was divinely appointed and that his authority should be absolute. However, after the outbreak of the English Civil War in 1642, Hobbes's views began to shift.
During the civil war, Hobbes fled to France, where he remained for the next 11 years. While in France, he came into contact with many of the leading thinkers of the day, including René Descartes and Pierre Gassendi. He also developed a reputation as a scholar and published several important works, including "De Cive" (1642), which outlines his political philosophy, and "Leviathan" (1651), which is widely regarded as his most influential work.
After the restoration of the monarchy in 1660, Hobbes returned to England and resumed his association with the royal court. However, he was no longer a staunch defender of the monarchy, and he was critical of some of the policies of King Charles II.
Hobbes also had connections to Oliver Cromwell, the leader of the parliamentary forces during the English Civil War. In fact, he dedicated "Leviathan" to Cromwell, whom he praised for his ability to restore order and stability to England.
In addition to his political philosophy, Thomas Hobbes was a prolific writer on a wide range of subjects, including mathematics, physics, and religion. He was interested in many aspects of the natural world, and he believed that a comprehensive understanding of nature was essential to developing a complete philosophy.
One of Hobbes's early works on science was "Elements of Law Natural and Politic" (1640), in which he argued that the laws of nature could be used to create a system of justice that was independent of human laws. In "De Corpore" (1655), Hobbes expanded on this idea and argued that all physical phenomena, including those related to the human body, could be explained in terms of the motions of matter.
"De Homine" (1658) was another important work in which Hobbes explored the nature of man and the human mind. He argued that the mind and body were not separate entities, as many philosophers of the time believed, but were rather different aspects of the same physical entity. Hobbes believed that all human behavior could be explained in terms of physical causes, and that there was no such thing as free will.
Hobbes was also interested in religion and wrote several works on the subject, including "The Elements of Law, Natural and Politic" (1640) and "Leviathan" (1651). In these works, he argued that religion was a tool of the state, and that the sovereign had the power to dictate the beliefs and practices of his subjects.
Later in life, Hobbes wrote "Behemoth" (1682), a history of the English Civil War. In this work, he provided a detailed account of the events leading up to the war, as well as the political and social conditions that contributed to its outbreak.
Overall, Hobbes's works demonstrate his broad intellectual interests and his belief in the importance of a comprehensive understanding of the natural world. His contributions to fields such as mathematics, physics, and religion continue to be studied and debated today.
Overall, Hobbes's political views were shaped by the political turmoil of his time, and he developed a philosophy that emphasized the need for a strong, centralized government to maintain order and stability in society. His ideas have had a lasting impact on political thought, and his works continue to be studied and debated by scholars and philosophers today.
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Reference: Article by Greg Scott (Staff Historian), 2024
