THOMAS HOBBES

Born 1588- Died 1679

EARLY INTERESTS

Thomas Hobbes was fascinated by the idea of

movement• This started as physical movement though Hobbes

was by no means a Physicist.• Eventually his studies took him past material

movement to the point of a questioning the motivations of human beings.

• He saw that like in the scientific world humans function on initial forces and incentives.

Hobbes took those ideas of human motivation and

applied them to a political and social setting.

England at the time he lived was going through

it’s civil war.

Hobbes’ Philosophical attitude is reflected in the

discord that ensued from those dark times of weak

or nonexistent leadership.

POLITICAL WORKS

THE LEVIATHAN

This is Hobbes’ crowning work and was mostly

political and religious.

Hobbes supported having a central power and

government that ruled the masses.• Again possibly this is due to the chaos that he saw

during civil war England.

Not just any Government either an absolute and

extremely central all controlling government

WHY?

Central Government Lose Government

BASICALLY

Hobbes did not trust people to do the right thing

without the Government watching to make sure they

did it right.

He was a strong supporter of Absolutism

BUT!

Though Hobbes totally supported this absolute

power behind Government he reserved certain rights

for the people to defend themselves.• Such times were when the government put either

the person, the person’s family or their honor at stake.

• Though he still absolutely abhorred revolution