Book Description
Thomas Hobbes, the first great English political philosopher, has long had the reputation of being a pessimistic atheist, who saw human nature as inevitably evil and proposed a totalitarian state to subdue human failings. In this illuminating study, Richard Tuck re-evaluates Hobbes's philosophy and dispels these myths, revealing him to have been passionately concerned with the refutation of scepticism, and to have developed a theory of knowledge which rivalled that of Descartes in its importance. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

An authoritative introduction to the first great English political philosopher
The author starts by telling us "Hobbes created English-language philosophy".Really?What of Francis Bacon, to whom Hobbes once acted as amanuensis?Poor Bacon does get a brief, grudging mention later on.The description in the blurb of Hobbes as "the first great English political philosopher" is probably more accurate.Certainly he is important, in a broad Western context.He was central to the transition from medieval to modern thought, and was a strong influence on Rousseau and others.Tuck is an expert guide (despite his inexplicable slighting of Bacon) and his style is very readable.This introduction covers Hobbes's life, works and intellectual legacy.Reliable and informative, it is highly recommended as an introduction to, and summary of, Hobbes's ideas, but to better appreciate the context, you might want to read (dare I say it?) Bacon's Essays first.

Adequate but less than lucid
Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) was an extremely important English philosopher, best known for his political philosophy, especially as found in the work "Leviathan".

Richard Tuck's overview of Hobbes does an adequate job of summarizing the views of this important philosopher; however, the book at times feels a little bit too detail-oriented, often at the expense of forming a more clear picture of Hobbes's philosophy as a whole.One particularly confusing discussion involves Hobbes's ideas about the difference between a "natural right" and a "natural law".

The three main sections of the book focus on Hobbes's life, Hobbes's work, and later interpretations of Hobbes.Perhaps this last section is the most fascinating; we find, for example, Hobbes political theory in modern times being analyzed within the idiom of "game theory".

Tuck is clearly an expert and knows what he's talking about, but his book might be pitched just a bit over the head of a true beginner to the study of Hobbes or philosophy in general.

All in all this is a decent work - but it occasionally becomes over-academic at the expense of clarity... and in a work of this sort, clarity is a priceless asset.

Good very short introduction
I was able to read this entire little book in much less than a day.Especially interesting was the first section, "Hobbes' Life", which described the relationships between philosophers of that time, both between each other and society.The section on Hobbes' philosophy was also well done, and very informitive.The section on interpretations of Hobbes' didn't seem to have a point.It covered the fine distinctions modern scholars are making, which is well outside the scope of a book introducing someone to Hobbes.As this section can simply be skipped it didn't take away from the book, despite it's questionable value.

An introduction to Hobbes written with clarity and grace
When I read British philosophy as an undergraduate, I skimmed over Hobbes and focused primarily on Locke, Berkeley, and Hume. It was not until recently that I realized the importance of Hobbes's political thought. Therefore, I decided to read Hobbes's "Leviathan." Havingpreviously discovered the outstanding little books in the "PastMasters" series published by the Oxford University Press, I firstlooked to see if the series included a title on Hobbes, and I found Tuck'sbook, which I read before reading "Leviathan." Tuck's "Hobbes"provided me with a good foundation for reading "Leviathan," andTuck greatly increased my appreciation for Hobbes. Tuck is particularlycareful to describe not only Hobbes's political philosophy; he alsoprovides an introduction to Hobbes's thought regarding religion, science,ethics, and philosophical method. By gaining an overall picture of Hobbes'sthought, I came to appreciate Tuck's claim that "Hobbes createdEnglish-language philosophy." I recommend this book to anyoneapproaching Hobbes for the first time. ... Read more

Book Description
[NB in publicity materials use short description + first few review quotes if short of space]Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) is one of the most important figures in the history of European thought. Although best known for his political theory, he also wrote about theology, metaphysics, physics, optics, mathematics, psychology, and literary criticism. All of these interests are reflected in his correspondence.Some small groups of his letters have been printed in the past (often in inaccurate transcriptions), but this edition is the first complete collection of his correspondence, nearly half of which has never been printed before. All the letters have been transcribed from the original sources, and all materials in Latin, French, and Italian are printed together with translations in clear modern English. The letters are fully annotated, and there are long biographical entries on all of his correspondents, based on extensive original research.These two volumes form one of the most significant and valuable publications of Hobbes scholarship this century, casting a new light on the whole pattern of his intellectual life and personal friendships. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (3)

a note on latin
I just want to note that quotations from Latin in this book are left untranslated so if you are not familiar with this language, a scholarly reading may require additonal work on your part.

Know Your Hobbes
Leo Strauss, in his first printed work, does a superb job of distilling Hobbes essential ideas on man.By showing us the educational background of Hobbes and the philosophers he read Strauss, shows how Hobbes comes to believe that "man acts out of fear of death".The preservation of life is the primary goal of man in the "Hobbesean" world."Vanity is the force that makes men blind, fear is the force which makes men see".

Strauss points out that Hobbes started out as a classical political philosopher who was influenced by his readings of Aristotle and Plato.Not until Hobbes was forty years old and he discovered the works of Euclid did Hobbes move away from the "humanist" view to a more "scientific" approach to political philosophy.Euclid teaches Hobbes that politics must have a philosophy; it can't just be studied through history. Hobbes criticism of Aristotle and historism was; "that the historian takes the great as his standard, while the philosopher is concerned with the right and true". Hobbes is the first to see clearly between "right" and "law" the state is founded on the "right" "law" is a mere consequence.Strauss points out that, "Hobbes becomes the first philosopher to realize that politics can be raised to the rank of science".

This book is not an easy read for the casual reader but is essential for one to understand the concept of political philosophy.

Strauss before Strauss
I read somewhere that Strauss carried this book in a water-tight container when he crossed the channel to England so that, even if the ship went down, his work would survive. However that may be, it is the rare opportunity tosee Strauss genuinely struggle with a problem. The prevailing opinion, I amtold, is that Hobbes' science, or the discovery of Galileo'sanalytic-synthetic method, was the origin of Hobbes political philosophy(the analysis of the prevailing order (state of nature), the synthesis orconstruction of a new order (Leviathan)). Strauss makes the convincingargument that not the scientific method, but instead Aristotelian humanism(in particular, the anthropology of the Rhetoric) was the"source" for Hobbes' Staatslehre. Central to this is a critiqueof aristocratism, and the aristocratic valorization of courage. Not couragebut cowardice and the fear of death is the ruling passion of the Hobbesianbourgeois (if Bloom learned anything from Strauss, it was that). Inparticular, Hobbes borrowed from the Rhetoric the treatment of anger, inwhich the most asocial human passion is the desire for revenge (andjustice). Strauss later repudiated (in Natural Right) the argument againstHobbes scientism, but the point was made. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The First Modern Political Philosopher
Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) wrote "Leviathan" in 1651, it was his most important philosophical work.I think you should know something of Hobbes to understand how his thinking was influenced by his experiences.He was born 2 months prematurely on the day the Spanish Armada approaches the English coast.His mother's fear of invasion caused the premature birth.Hobbes remarked late in life, "his mother brought forth twins-myself and fear."Fear seems to be Hobbes life long companion and the key passion in his political system, which uses human passions as its foundation.He was a child prodigy reading Latin and Greek at the age of six years old.At fifteen, he entered Oxford University and hated his educational experience there.He thought the curriculum was too immersed in the ancient Greek philosophers like Aristotle.He called them "erroneous doctrines," and throughout his life he railed against English universities for there stodgy curriculum.

At the age of 22, he graduates and takes a job to tutor the son of the Earl of Devonshire.It gives him the opportunity to travel throughout Europe where he meets with Galileo in Florence and Descartes in Paris.Descartes calls Hobbes the greatest political philosopher of his day.During the British civil war, Hobbes flees to Paris because he is a well-known monarchist sympathizer.In 1651, he publishes his monumental work "Leviathan."He returns to England, submits to Cromwell's government, and withdraws from politics.He is on friendly terms with Charles II when the Stuart's are restored to the throne.

Hobbes philosophy is "materialistic"; he is greatly influenced by Galileo's mechanistic approach to science, and Euclidian geometry.His ambition was to explain all phenomena, man, and government with mathematical precision.In "Leviathan," he explains human conduct is a product of human passions.The most dominant passions are fear of violent death and desire for power, both are manifestations of man's most basic impulse, "self preservation."Hobbes asserts that the basic impulse is the right of the individual; he calls it a "natural right."All men process this natural right equally.This theory leads Hobbes to believe man's natural state to be one of constant conflict with each other.This leads him to write the following quote he is most known for: "men's lives are solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short."So as not to have to live in constant state of fear or conflict, men make a contract for protection with the state.Hobbes believes that the best state is one led by a single sovereign whose power must be unrestricted with all three branches of government devolving to him.A single sovereign who has absolute power and cannot be replaced by the people.

His political writing had immediate influence in the world and influences other philosophers like Spinoza, Hutcheson, Locke, and Hume.Hobbes is the first man to write about political philosophy in such methodical terms.He is an excellent writer and his theories are easy to understand by the laymen.As a graduate student of political philosophy, I recommend if you have an interest in politics, philosophy, or government then you must start with reading Hobbes "Leviathan."
... Read more

Book Description
This rich collection will introduce students of philosophy and politics to the contemporary critical literature on the classical social contract political thinkers Thomas Hobbes (1599-1697),John Locke (1632-1704),and Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778). A dozen essays and book excerpts have been selected to guide students through the texts and to introduce them to current scholarly controversies surrounding the contractarian political theories of these three thinkers. Visit our website for sample chapters! ... Read more

Book Description
Mintz examines the contemporary reaction in England to the "Monster of Malmesbury," with a particular focus on his materialism and moral philosophy. He argues that most scholars have ignored the contemporary reaction to Hobbes and thus have failed to realize the importance of the historical context against which the analysis of Hobbes's ideas can be measured. ... Read more

Book Description
Have you been put off from reading great books because the original Â`Olde EnglishÂ' makes the going rough? Here youÂ'll find classic philosophy texts updated and paraphrased into modern English. Learn the key ideas of the great empiricist philosophers like Thomas Hobbes, who framed the course of the modern political state; John Locke, who inspired Thomas Jefferson and the American Revolution and David Hume, Historian, Philosopher, Diplomat and the ultimate Scottish Skeptic. Relax and enjoy the modified writings of these important thinkers by Professor of Philosophy Dr. Les Sutter—without the long, dull introductions and explanations. A real treat! ... Read more

Book Description
From Introduction: "NATURE (the art whereby God hath made and governs the world) is by the art of man, as in many other things, so in this also imitated, that it can make an artificial animal. For seeing life is but a motion of limbs, the beginning whereof is in some principal part within, why may we not say that all automata (engines that move themselves by springs and wheels as doth a watch) have an artificial life? For what is the heart, but a spring; and the nerves, but so many strings; and the joints, but so many wheels, giving motion to the whole body, such as was intended by the Artificer? Art goes yet further, imitating that rational and most excellent work of Nature, man. For by art is created that great LEVIATHAN called a COMMONWEALTH, or STATE (in Latin, CIVITAS), which is but an artificial man, though of greater stature and strength than the natural, for whose protection and defence it was intended; and in which the sovereignty is an artificial soul, as giving life and motion to the whole body; the magistrates and other officers of judicature and execution, artificial joints; reward and punishment (by which fastened to the seat of the sovereignty, every joint and member is moved to perform his duty) are the nerves, that do the same in the body natural; the wealth and riches of all the particular members are the strength; salus populi (the people's safety) its business; counsellors, by whom all things needful for it to know are suggested unto it, are the memory; equity and laws, an artificial reason and will; concord, health; sedition, sickness; and civil war, death. Lastly, the pacts and covenants, by which the parts of this body politic were at first made, set together, and united, resemble that fiat, or the Let us make man, pronounced by God in the Creation. To describe the nature of this artificial man, I will consider First, the matter thereof, and the artificer; both which is man. Secondly, how, and by what covenants it is made; what are the rights and just power or authority of a sovereign; and what it is that preserveth and dissolveth it." ... Read more

Book Description
The history of politics can be represented as a series of demands for change followed in each case by a call for order and vice versa. There is a school of thought, traceable to and most clearly expressed in the political writings of Bodin and Hobbes, which believes that order is the cardinal principle and that it thus takes precedence over justice.The heart of Prestion King's book is a philosophical discussion of absolutism and pluralism in relation to the concept of order with a historical introduction that sets the context for the rigorous analysis of the works of Bodin and Hobbes.He offers not only the first elaborate survey and critical assessment of Bodin's political philosophy in the English language, but also the first extended comparative analysis of Bodin and Hobbes. He deals in particular with those aspects of Hobbes which have been relatively neglected by other scholars; and offers an entirely new analysis of Hobbes's command structures.This is followed by a simple but fundamental reassessment of the value/fact question in Hobbes together with a direct attack upon Hobbes's concept of the character of collective control. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Bodin and Hobbes
A good book from somebody that really knows the subject. Preston King have before organized lots of relevant articles about Hobbes, in four volumes. Now, he gifts us with an interesting comparative analyses of Bodin and Hobbes, about something that is important to everybody who was trying tounderstand State and sovereignity: how can we work with order and humanbeings? ... Read more

Book Description
Acclaimed writer and historian Noel Malcolm presents his sensational discovery of a new work by Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679): a propaganda pamphlet on behalf of the Habsburg side in the Thirty Years' War, translated by Hobbes from a Latin original. Malcolm's book explores a fascinating episode in seventeenth-century history, illuminating both the practice of early modern propaganda and the theory of "reason of state". ... Read more

Book Description
De Cive (On the Citizen) is the first full exposition of the political thought of Thomas Hobbes, the greatest English political philosopher of all time. Professors Tuck and Silverthorne have undertaken the first complete translation since 1651, a rendition long thought (in error) to be at least sanctioned by Hobbes himself. On the Citizen is written in a clear, straightforward, expository style, offering students a more digestible account of Hobbes' political thought than even Leviathan itself. This new translation is itself a very significant scholarly event. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

The First Modern Political Philosopher
Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) wrote "Leviathan" in 1651, it was his most important philosophical work.I think you should know something of Hobbes to understand how his thinking was influenced by his experiences.He was born 2 months prematurely on the day the Spanish Armada approaches the English coast.His mother's fear of invasion caused the premature birth.Hobbes remarked late in life, "his mother brought forth twins-myself and fear."Fear seems to be Hobbes life long companion and the key passion in his political system, which uses human passions as its foundation.He was a child prodigy reading Latin and Greek at the age of six years old.At fifteen, he entered Oxford University and hated his educational experience there.He thought the curriculum was too immersed in the ancient Greek philosophers like Aristotle.He called them "erroneous doctrines," and throughout his life he railed against English universities for there stodgy curriculum.

At the age of 22, he graduates and takes a job to tutor the son of the Earl of Devonshire.It gives him the opportunity to travel throughout Europe where he meets with Galileo in Florence and Descartes in Paris.Descartes calls Hobbes the greatest political philosopher of his day.During the British civil war, Hobbes flees to Paris because he is a well-known monarchist sympathizer.In 1651, he publishes his monumental work "Leviathan."He returns to England, submits to Cromwell's government, and withdraws from politics.He is on friendly terms with Charles II when the Stuart's are restored to the throne.

Hobbes philosophy is "materialistic"; he is greatly influenced by Galileo's mechanistic approach to science, and Euclidian geometry.His ambition was to explain all phenomena, man, and government with mathematical precision.In "Leviathan," he explains human conduct is a product of human passions.The most dominant passions are fear of violent death and desire for power, both are manifestations of man's most basic impulse, "self preservation."Hobbes asserts that the basic impulse is the right of the individual; he calls it a "natural right."All men process this natural right equally.This theory leads Hobbes to believe man's natural state to be one of constant conflict with each other.This leads him to write the following quote he is most known for: "men's lives are solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short."So as not to have to live in constant state of fear or conflict, men make a contract for protection with the state.Hobbes believes that the best state is one led by a single sovereign whose power must be unrestricted with all three branches of government devolving to him.A single sovereign who has absolute power and cannot be replaced by the people.

His political writing had immediate influence in the world and influences other philosophers like Spinoza, Hutcheson, Locke, and Hume.Hobbes is the first man to write about political philosophy in such methodical terms.He is an excellent writer and his theories are easy to understand by the laymen.As a graduate student of political philosophy, I recommend if you have an interest in politics, philosophy, or government then you must start with reading Hobbes "Leviathan."

Who should read this?
It's a bit difficult to know who to recommend this book to.It's not that it's a bad book - it isn't - rather that it contains almost exactly the same arguments as Leviathan, only shorter and in less detail.Consequently they are more convincing in Leviathan than here, and I have to recommend Leviathan instead of this.

If you're unfamiliar with Hobbes, what his political argument basically boils down to is that people are naturally bad, and will all try to steal from their fellows, and kill those that displease them, and so on, meaning that in their natural state man is in a constant state of war.It is necessary then to establish the Leviathan, that is, a Sovereign, who has ultimate power unquestioned by anyone, who stops men from fighting by imposing laws with penalties for breaking them so harsh that it would be madness to not obey them.In this way order is kept.

That is the argument put forward here, and in the Leviathan, only, as I said, the Leviathan puts it better.I can only think this book would be useful to those who find the 500 odd pages of the Leviathan too daunting, and want to start with something shorter. ... Read more

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Howard Warrender ... Read more

Book Description

This collection develops insight into the relation which Hobbes describes between his theory of government and the three-part division he draws with respect to religion. Pursuing the chain of causes that proves God's existence as first cause, Hobbes identifies and defines both "true religion" and such superstition as he found in the theology and practices of the Roman Catholic Church of his era. He then emphasizes the difference between natural religion and revealed religion in order to extinguish the claim of contemporary theologians to an authority in the state greater than that of the political sovereign.