Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury was a 17th century English philosopher best known for his 1651 book Leviathan. It concerns the structure of a society and legitimate government. his overall goal is to explain why a commonwealth may govern over man and the best way for this state to function to accommodate the needs of its citizens In the Leviathan Hobbes starts with man, He expresses that man is nothing but a creature driven by the constant motions of the world. This leads to man’s constant desires which naturally pits each man against each other. Hobbes believes the justification for political obligation is that men are naturally self-absorbed, but they are rational so they will choose to submit to the authority of a Sovereign
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He calls this social state the “Kingdom of Darkness”. The main causes of such state are believing the presence of the kingdom of God on earth, and the philosophical and historical doctrines that perpetuate this falsehood. Hobbes challenges Aristotelian philosophy of essentialism for giving certainty in believing in eternal souls and immaterial spirits, as well as many teachings of
Catholicism, notably the papacy. If Hobbes had been writing this book a century later then religion would not have been a section in the Leviathan. Hobbes was not a religious man. His involvement with religion came from its role in the conflict leading to the English Civil War, a period in which he lived.
Hobbes surely knew his work would meet with objection, not just from religions but from people against the idea of an absolute monarchy. But to Hobbes, this form of government was, in his eyes, the best suited to protect and preserve human life. He believed the only way to control such a barbaric and brutal nature was to form an external authority capable of avoiding such a poor and nasty outcome. Although the idea of a monarchy has long since been abandoned,
He calls this social state the “Kingdom of Darkness”. The main causes of such state are believing the presence of the kingdom of God on earth, and the philosophical and historical doctrines that perpetuate this falsehood. Hobbes challenges Aristotelian philosophy of essentialism for giving certainty in believing in eternal souls and immaterial spirits, as well as many teachings of
Catholicism, notably the papacy. If Hobbes had been writing this book a century later then religion would not have been a section in the Leviathan. Hobbes was not a religious man. His involvement with religion came from its role in the conflict leading to the English Civil War, a period in which he lived.
Hobbes surely knew his work would meet with objection, not just from religions but from people against the idea of an absolute monarchy. But to Hobbes, this form of government was, in his eyes, the best suited to protect and preserve human life. He believed the only way to control such a barbaric and brutal nature was to form an external authority capable of avoiding such a poor and nasty outcome. Although the idea of a monarchy has long since been abandoned,