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Thomas Hobbes

Thomas Hobbes Quotes

Philosopher

Thomas Hobbes, a British philosopher, politician, historian, economist, and writer, was born on April 5, 1588, in Wiltshire, and died on December 4, 1679, in Oxford, England. Hobbes is considered one of the most important philosophers of the 17th century, known for his profound analysis of the state, society, and human behavior.

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Famous Thomas Hobbes Quotes

“Because silver and gold have their value from the matter itself, they have first this privilege, that the value of them cannot be altered by the power of one, nor of a few commonwealths, as being a common measure of the commodities of all places. But base money may easily be enhanced or abased.”

Firsts May Matter Values Common Gold Privilege Silver Commodity Altered Commonwealth Power Of One

Book:Leviathan - Revised Edition

Source: Leviathan - Revised Edition

“The most part of men, though they have the use of reasoning a little way, as in numbering to some degree; yet it serves them to little use in common life; in which they govern themselves, some better, some worse, according to their differences of experience, quickness of memory, and inclinations to several ends; but specially according to good or evil fortune, and the errors of one another.”

Men Way Littles Ends Use Evil Differences Memories Common Degrees Errors Fortune Reasoning Inclination Quickness Common Life

Book:Leviathan

Source: Leviathan

“Good and Evil are names that signify our appetites and aversions, which in different tempers, customs, and doctrines of men, are different: And diverse men differ not only in their judgment, on the senses of what is pleasant and unpleasant to the taste, smell, hearing, touch, and sight, but also of what is conformable, or disagreeable to Reason, in the actions of the common life. Nay, the same man, in diverse times, differs from himself, and one time praiseth, that is, calleth Good, what another time he dispraiseth, and calleth Evil.”

“If we could suppose a great multitude of men to consent to the observation of justice, and other laws of Nature, without a common Power to keep them all in awe; we might as well suppose all mankind to do the same; and then there neither would be nor need to be any civil government or commonwealth at all, because there would be Peace without subjection.”

Ifs Men Needs Wells Government Might Would Be Law Justice Common Mankind Observation Awe Multitudes Consent Laws Of Nature Commonwealth Subjection

Book:Leviathan: Or the Matter, Forme, and Power of a Commonwealth Ecclesiasticall and Civil

Source: Leviathan: Or the Matter, Forme, and Power of a Commonwealth Ecclesiasticall and Civil

“The Interpretation of the Laws of Nature in a Common-wealth, dependeth not on the books of Moral Philosophy. The Authority of writers, without the Authority of the Commonwealth, maketh not their opinions Law, be they never so true.”

Book Philosophy Law Wealth Common Moral Opinion Authority Interpretation Laws Of Nature Commonwealth Moral Philosophy

Author:Thomas Hobbes

“But if one Subject giveth Counsell to another, to do anything contrary to the Lawes, whether that Counsell proceed from evil intention, or from ignorance onely, it is punishable by the Common-wealth; because igorance of the Law, is no good excuse, where every man is bound to take notice of the Lawes to which he is subject.”

Ifs Men Law Evil Wealth Common Subjects Ignorance Intention Bounds Excuse Contrary Every Man

Author:Thomas Hobbes

“And whereas many men, by accident unevitable, become unable to maintain themselves by their labour; they ought not to be left to the Charity of private persons; but to be provided for, (as far-forth as the necessities of Nature require,) by the Lawes of the Common-wealth. For as it is Unchariablenesse in any man, to neglect the impotent; so it is in the Soveraign of a Common-wealth, to expose them to the hazard of such uncertain Charity.”

Men Persons Left Wealth Common Ought Charity Accidents Labour Neglect Uncertain Hazards

Author:Thomas Hobbes

“Where there is no common power, there is no law”

Law Common Leviathan

Book:Leviathan

Source: Leviathan

“The Imagination that is raised in man (or any other creature imbued with the faculty of imagining) by words, or other voluntary signs, is that we generally call Understanding; and is common to Man and Beasts.”

Men God Government Understanding Imagination Common Imagine Creatures Raised Beast Faculty Covenant

Author:Thomas Hobbes

“During the time men live without a common power to keep them all in awe, they are in that conditions called war; and such a war, as if of every man, against every man.”

Ifs Men War Political Fear Common Conditions Every Man Awe Leviathan Authority And Power Perpetual War

Author:Thomas Hobbes

“To this war of every man against every man, this also in consequent; that nothing can be unjust. The notions of right and wrong, justice and injustice have there no place. Where there is no common power, there is no law, where no law, no injustice. Force, and fraud, are in war the cardinal virtues.”

Men War Law Political Force Justice Common Virtue Notion Injustice Every Man Fraud Unjust Cardinals Leviathan Justice And Injustice

Book:Leviathan

Source: Leviathan