The political Works, written by Thomas Hobbes, described his views on how humans could thrive in harmony while avoiding the perils and fear of societal conflict. His experience during a time of upheaval in England influenced his thoughts, which he captured in The Elements of Law , De Cive (On the Citizen), Behemoth, or The Long Parliament and his most famous work, Leviathan. Leviathan, published in 1651, concerns the structure of society and legitimate government, and is regarded as one of the earliest and most influential examples of social contract theory. Written during the English Civil War (1642–1651), Leviathan argues for a social contract and rule by an absolute sovereign. Hobbes wrote that civil war and situations identified with a state of nature and the famous motto Bellum omnium contra omnes ("the war of all against all") could only be averted by strong central government. De Cive ('On the citizen') was Hobbes's first published book of political philosophy. Thomas Hobbes was an English philosopher who is considered one of the founders of modern political philosophy.
The seventeenth century English philosopher Thomas Hobbes is best known for his political philosophy, as revealed in his magnum opus ‘Leviathan’ (1651). Hobbes regarded government primarily as a device for ensuring collective security. He argued that political authority is justified by a hypothetical social contract among the many, giving a sovereign person the responsibility for the safety and well-being of all. Hobbes also contributed to a diverse array of other fields, including history, jurisprudence, geometry, the physics of gases, theology, ethics and general philosophy. However, his enduring contribution was as a political philosopher, who justified wide-ranging government powers on the basis of the self-interested consent of citizens. This comprehensive eBook presents Hobbes’ collected (almost complete) works, with numerous illustrations, rare texts, informative introductions and the usual Delphi bonus material. (Version 1) * Beautifully illustrated with images relating to Hobbes’ life and works * Concise introductions to the major works * Features rare treatises appearing for the first time in digital publishing * Images of how the books were first published, giving your eReader a taste of the original texts * Excellent formatting of the texts * Two texts of ‘Leviathan’: the first edition text and Molesworth’s seminal 1839 edition * Includes Hobbes’ rare poetry– available in no other collection * Features the translations, including the celebrated complete translation of Thucydides * Hobbes’ scarce autobiographical work * Features two biographies – discover Hobbes’ intriguing life * Scholarly ordering of texts into chronological order and genres Please visit www.delphiclassics.com to browse through our range of exciting titles CONTENTS: The Books Elements of Law, Natural and Politic Of Liberty and Necessity Answer to Sir William Davenant’s Preface before Gondibert De Cive Leviathan De Corpore Six Lessons to the Professor of Mathematics Seven Philosophical Problems A Dialogue between a Philosopher and a Student of the Common Laws of England An Answer to a Book Published by Dr. Bramhall, Late Bishop of Derry Three Papers Presented to the Royal Society Against Dr. Wallis Ten Dialogues of Natural Philosophy An Historical Narration concerning Hersey and the Punishment Thereof Behemoth The Translations Eight Books of the Peloponnesian War The Whole Art of Rhetoric Translation of Homer’s ‘Iliad’ Translation of Homer’s ‘Odyssey’ The Poetry De Mirabilis Pecci, Being the Wonders of the Peak in Darby-shire The Life of Mr. Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury Historia Ecclesiastica Carmine Elegiaco Concinnata The Autobiography Considerations upon the Reputation, Loyalty, Manners and Religion of Thomas Hobbes of Malmsbury The Biographies Thomas Hobbes by George Croom Robertson Thomas Hobbes by Leslie Stephen Please visit www.delphiclassics.com to browse through our range of exciting titles or to purchase this eBook as a Parts Edition of individual eBooks
Written during a moment in English history when the political and social structures were in flux and open to interpretation, Leviathan played an essential role in the development of the modern world.
Thomas Hobbes claimed to have founded the discipline of civil philosophy. This book offers a new reading of his intellectual development, arguing that he was dubious about the place of rhetoric in civil society and came to see it as a pernicious presence within philosophy - a position from which he did not retreat.