Thomas Hobbes Flashcards
When was Thomas Hobbes born?
April 5, 1588
Where was Thomas Hobbes born?
Westport, Wiltshire, England
What is Thomas Hobbes best known for?
His book Leviathan and his development of social contract theory
In which book did Thomas Hobbes outline his political philosophy?
Leviathan
What did Hobbes believe life would be like in a ‘state of nature’?
Solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short
What was Hobbes’s key idea about government in Leviathan?
Individuals must surrender some freedoms to a sovereign authority to maintain peace and order
What major historical event influenced Hobbes’s political views?
The English Civil War (1642-1651)
What concept did Hobbes develop that influenced modern political thought?
The social contract
Which period’s intellectuals did Hobbes interact with during his travels?
Early modern thinkers like René Descartes and Galileo
What kind of government did Hobbes advocate for?
A strong, centralized government or an absolute sovereign
How did Hobbes’s ideas contribute to political theory?
He laid the foundation for modern political philosophy and the concept of the modern state
What was the primary subject of Hobbes’s work in Leviathan?
Political philosophy and human nature
Who were some later thinkers influenced by Hobbes’s social contract theory?
John Locke, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and Immanuel Kant
How old was Thomas Hobbes when he died?
91 years old
What accusation did Hobbes face during his lifetime?
He was accused of atheism, though he denied it
