Leviathan
Jan 2009 · Cosimo, Inc.
Ebook
416
Pages
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About this ebook
We take for granted today the concept of the "social contract"-that it's right for citizens give up some autonomy to the state in exchange for peace and order for all-but the idea was all but unconceived of until English philosopher THOMAS HOBBES (1588-1679) published his masterpiece, *Leviathan*. Written while the author was in self-imposed exile in France during the English Civil War and first published in 1651, this classic work of political thought laid the groundwork for the upheavals that would reshape human culture in later centuries, from the American and French revolutions to the ongoing refining of democracy that continues to this day. Required reading for students of world history, this is one of the great works of civic and social philosophy, presented in the original period language, and remains the best representation today of the author's intent and meaning.
About the author
Thomas Hobbes was born in Malmesbury, the son of a wayward country vicar. He was educated at Magdalen Hall, Oxford, and was supported during his long life by the wealthy Cavendish family, the Earls of Devonshire. Traveling widely, he met many of the leading intellectuals of the day, including Francis Bacon, Galileo Galilei, and Rene Descartes. As a philosopher and political theorist, Hobbes established---along with, but independently of, Descartes---early modern modes of thought in reaction to the scholasticism that characterized the seventeenth century. Because of his ideas, he was constantly in dispute with scientists and theologians, and many of his works were banned. His writings on psychology raised the possibility (later realized) that psychology could become a natural science, but his theory of politics is his most enduring achievement. In brief, his theory states that the problem of establishing order in society requires a sovereign to whom people owe loyalty and who in turn has duties toward his or her subjects. His prose masterpiece Leviathan (1651) is regarded as a major contribution to the theory of the state.
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