Thomas Hobbes
Thomas Hobbes
Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury, in some older texts Thomas Hobbs of Malmsbury, was an English philosopher, best known today for his work on political philosophy. His 1651 book Leviathan established social contract theory, the foundation of most later Western political philosophy...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionPhilosopher
Date of Birth5 April 1588
men political may
Corporations are may lesser commonwealths in the bowels of a greater, like worms in the entrails of a natural man.
fall men may
It is not easy to fall into any absurdity, unless it be by the length of an account; wherein he may perhaps forget what went before. For all men by nature reason alike, and well, when they have good principles.
gold may matter
Because silver and gold have their value from the matter itself, they have first this privilege, that the value of them cannot be altered by the power of one, nor of a few commonwealths, as being a common measure of the commodities of all places. But base money may easily be enhanced or abased.
men may judgment
A man's conscience and his judgment is the same thing; and as the judgment, so also the conscience, may be erroneous.
men thinking may
Every man may think his own cause just till it be heard and judged.
may causality causes
[Necessity is] the sum of all things, which being now existent, conduce and concur to the production of that action hereafter, whereof if any one thing now were wanting, the effect could not be produced. This concourse of causes, whereof every one is determined to be such as it is by a like concourse of former causes, may well be called (in respect they were all set and ordered by the eternal causes of all things, God Almighty) the decree of God.
carnal continued curiosity delight desire generation knowledge lust perseverance short
Desire to know why, and how - curiosity, which is a lust of the mind, that a perseverance of delight in the continued and indefatigable generation of knowledge - exceedeth the short vehemence of any carnal pleasure.
carnal continued curiosity delight desire generation knowledge lust perseverance short
Desire to know why, and how -- curiosity, which is a lust of the mind, that a perseverance of delight in the continued and indefatigable generation of knowledge -- exceedeth the short vehemence of any carnal pleasure.
danger fear life short violent worst
No arts; no letters; no society; and which is worst of all, continual fear and danger of violent death; and the life of man, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short
apparent either future obtain original power present
The power of a man, to take it universally, is his present means, to obtain some future apparent good; and is either original or instrumental.
english-philosopher money reckon wise words
Words are wise men's counters, they do but reckon with them, but they are the money of fools.
life philosophical men
The privilege of absurdity; to which no living creature is subject, but man only.
apply bestows english-philosopher equal equally prudence themselves
Prudence is but experience, which equal time, equally bestows on all men, in those things they equally apply themselves unto.
english-philosopher nature state
In the state of nature profit is the measure of right.