Böcker av Thomas Hobbes

With an Introduction by Dr Richard Serjeantson, Trinity College, CambridgeSince its first publication in 1651, Thomas Hobbes's Leviathan has been recognised as one of the most compelling, and most controversial, works of political philosophy written in English. Forged in the crucible of the civil and religious warfare of the mid-seventeenth century, it proposes a political theory that combines an unequivocal commitment to natural human liberty with the conviction that the sovereign power of government must be exercised absolutely. Leviathan begins from some shockingly naturalistic starting-points: an analysis of human nature as being motivated by vain-glory and pride, and a vision of religion as simply the fear of invisible powers made up by the mind. Yet from these deliberately unpromising elements, Hobbes constructs with unparalleled forcefulness an elaborate, systematic, and comprehensive account of how political society ought to be: ordered, law-bound, peaceful. In Leviathan, Hobbes presents us with a portrait of politics which depicts how a state that is made up of the unified body of all its citizens will be powerful, fruitful, protective of each of its members, and above all free from internal violence.

The Leviathan is the vast unity of the State. But how are unity, peace and security to be attained? Hobbes's answer is sovereignty, but the resurgence of interest today in Leviathan is due less to its answers than its methods. Hobbes sees politics as a science capable of the same axiomatic approach as geometry: he argues from first principles to human nature to politics. This book's appeal to the twentieth century lies not just in its elevation of politics to a science, but in its overriding concern for peace.

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 the brute situation of a state of nature ("the war of all against all") could only be avoided by strong, undivided government. After lengthy discussion with Thomas Hobbes, the Parisian Abraham Bosse created the etching for the book's famous frontispiece in the géometrique style which Bosse himself had refined. It is similar in organisation to the frontispiece of Hobbes' De Cive (1642), created by Jean Matheus. The frontispiece has two main elements, of which the upper part is by far the more striking. In it, a giant crowned figure is seen emerging from the landscape, clutching a sword and a crosier, beneath a quote from the Book of Job-"Non est potestas Super Terram quae Comparetur ei. Iob. 41 . 24" ("There is no power on earth to be compared to him. Job 41 . 24")-linking the figure to the monster of that book. (Due to disagreements over the precise location of the chapters and verses when they were divided in the Late Middle Ages, the verse Hobbes quotes is usually given as Job 41:33 in modern Christian translations into English, Job 41:25 in the Masoretic text, Septuagint, and the Luther Bible; it is Iob 41:24 in the Vulgate.) The torso and arms of the figure are composed of over three hundred persons, in the style of Giuseppe Arcimboldo; all are facing inwards with just the giant's head having visible features. (A manuscript of Leviathan created for Charles II in 1651 has notable differences - a different main head but significantly the body is also composed of many faces, all looking outwards from the body and with a range of expressions.) The lower portion is a triptych, framed in a wooden border. The centre form contains the title on an ornate curtain. The two sides reflect the sword and crosier of the main figure - earthly power on the left and the powers of the church on the right. Each side element reflects the equivalent power - castle to church, crown to mitre, cannon to excommunication, weapons to logic, and the battlefield to the religious courts. The giant holds the symbols of both sides, reflecting the union of secular, and spiritual in the sovereign, but the construction of the torso also makes the figure the state.

Hobbes envisions a chaotic world driven by self-interest, where survival is brutal. He argues peace requires the "Leviathan," balancing freedom and control to ensure societal stability and security.

Cette compilation offre une présentation complète des oeuvres de Thomas Hobbes, y compris ses écrits politiques et philosophiques majeurs.This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Une exploration gravement profonde des facultés, des actions et des passions de l'âme humaine, exposée dans cet essai par le philosophe Thomas Hobbes.This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

"Leviathan," a seminal work by Thomas Hobbes, delves into the essence of political philosophy and the social contract. Written during a time of political upheaval, Hobbes presents a pioneering argument for a strong, centralized government as a solution to human nature's inherent brutishness. This treatise explores the dynamics between liberty and authority, and the necessity of societal structures for peace and protection. 'Leviathan' remains a cornerstone in understanding modern political theory and its impact on both historical and contemporary governance.

The Plague of Athens, which hapned in the second year of the Peloponnesian Warre ; First described in Greek by Thucydides; then in Latin by Lucretius. Now attempted in English, a classical book, has been considered essential throughout the human history, and so that this work is never forgotten we at Alpha Editions have made efforts in its preservation by republishing this book in a modern format for present and future generations. This whole book has been reformatted, retyped and designed. These books are not made of scanned copies of their original work and hence the text is clear and readable.

Leviathan, written by Thomas Hobbes in 1651, is a political treatise that outlines Hobbes' view of society and the role of government. Hobbes believed that humans were naturally selfish and violent, and that life in the state of nature, without any form of government, would be "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short." To avoid this chaos, Hobbes argued that individuals should enter into a social contract with a sovereign authority, giving up some of their natural rights in exchange for protection and security. The sovereign, whether a monarch or a democratically elected government, is granted absolute power to maintain order and prevent conflict. Hobbes' theory of the social contract has been influential in political philosophy, and his views on the nature of humans and the role of government continue to be debated today. He believed that the ultimate goal of government was to ensure peace and stability, and that the sovereign's power should be unlimited to achieve this end. Leviathan also discusses Hobbes' views on religion, and he argued that the state should have control over religious matters to prevent dissent and maintain unity. Overall, Leviathan is a seminal work in political philosophy that has shaped discussions on the nature of government and society for centuries.

Leviathan, has been regarded as significant work throughout human history, and in order to ensure that this work is never lost, we have taken steps to ensure its preservation by republishing this book in a contemporary format for both current and future generations. This entire book has been retyped, redesigned, and reformatted. Since these books are not made from scanned copies, the text is readable and clear.

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Gateway to the Social Contract brings together a selection of writings from political theorists Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau exploring questions of political legitimacy and authority.