The Nature of Man -- Thomas Hobbes

The English writer Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) remains one of the most influential thinkers in the realm of political philosophy.   Hobbes' views on human nature and how what he saw as the immutable characteristics of  human nature ought to inform the structure of society were certainly appealing to many in his day.  In important ways, those same views define one pole in the debates over the proper role of government in society, whether in Europe or in America.   Hobbes considered himself a scientist as well as a philospher and was very well-read in the scientific literature of the day.  He corresponded with Francis Bacon between 1619 and 1626, visited Galileo in Florence in 1636, and received a copy of  Descartes' Discourse on Method in 1637.  After reading this work, Hobbes launched a public debate with Descartes by publishing his own Objections to some of Descartes' arguments.   Like other scientists of his day, Hobbes believed that the old forms of classical education needed to be set aside in favor of the quest for new knowledge which was based in science rather than received wisdom.

In his politics, Hobbes was a committed Royalist, that is, a supporter of the Stuart kings of England and Scotland.  Because his royal master Charles I was defeated in the English Civil War, Hobbes fled to Paris where he published his best known work, the Leviathan [full text citation].  As you investigate Hobbes' ideas it is worth keeping in mind that the Leviathan was published two years after the execution of king Charles I   in 1649 by the English parliament.  Hobbes' religious views were closely tied to his opinions about the importance of state power, and so it is not an exaggeration to say that he saw religion as a useful tool of the state rather than a source of wisdom or moral guidance.  Because his views on this subject came very close to the limits of what many in England could tolerate, Hobbes was almost denounced by the parliament as a heretic.

For  our classroom discussion, you need to read the excerpts from the Leviathan available via the first link below.  However, you may also find that you want to know more about Hobbes' views, in which case you can either follow the full text link above, or one of the other links I have provided below.   Either way, you need to be prepared to answer the following questions:

1.  What was Hobbes' view of human nature?
2.  What natural laws did Hobbes believe governed human society?
3.  Given these laws, what should be the proper structure of government?
4.  What was the role of education in the development of human society?

Source Documents for discussion:

The Leviathan (1651) [excerpts]