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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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All Men Leviathan Ifs May Law Reason Causes Desire Mind Opinion War Body Every Man Atheism Common Firsts Liberty Passion Positive Atheism God

Famous Thomas Hobbes Quotes

“Desire and love are the same thing; save that by desire, we signify the absence of the object; by love, most commonly the presence of the same.”

Love Desire Lust

Book:Leviathan

Source: Leviathan

“The object of man's desire is not to enjoy once only, and for one instant of time; but to assure for ever, the way of his future desires.”

Men Way Desire Enjoy Objects Instant

Book:The Essential Leviathan: A Modernized Edition

Source: The Essential Leviathan: A Modernized Edition

“Whatsoever is the object of any man's Appetite or Desire; that is it which he for his part calleth Good: and the object of his Hate and Aversion, evil.”

Men Desire Hate Evil Objects Appetite Aversion

Book:The Moral and Political Works To which is Prefixed the Autors Life, Extracted from that Said to be Written by Himself ... Illustr. by the Ed. - London 1750

Source: The Moral and Political Works To which is Prefixed the Autors Life, Extracted from that Said to be Written by Himself ... Illustr. by the Ed. - London 1750

“Of all Discourse , governed by desire of Knowledge, there is at last an End , either by attaining, or by giving over.”

Giving Ends Lasts Desire Discourse

Book:The Moral and Political Works To which is Prefixed the Autors Life, Extracted from that Said to be Written by Himself ... Illustr. by the Ed. - London 1750

Source: The Moral and Political Works To which is Prefixed the Autors Life, Extracted from that Said to be Written by Himself ... Illustr. by the Ed. - London 1750

“Desire , to know why, and how, CURIOSITY; such as is in no living creature but Man ; so that Man is distinguished, not only by his Reason; but also by this singular Passion from other Animals ; in whom the appetite of food, and other pleasures of Sense, by predominance, take away the care of knowing causes; which is a Lust of the mind, that by a perseverance of delight in the continual and indefatigable generation of Knowledge, exceedeth the short vehemence of any carnal Pleasure.”

Knows Men Mind Reason Care Desire Passion Causes Pleasure Animal Knowing Generations Creatures Perseverance Curiosity Delight Lust Appetite Distinguished Living Creatures Vehemence

Book:Leviathan

Source: Leviathan

“So that in the first place, I put for a general inclination of all mankind a perpetual and restless desire of Power after power, that ceaseth only in Death. And the cause of this is not always that a man hopes for a more intensive delight than he has already attained to, or that he cannot be content with a moderate power: but because he cannot assure the power and means to live well, which he hath present, without the acquisition of more.”

Men Firsts Wells Mean Desire Causes Mankind Delight Perpetual Restless Inclination Moderates Acquisition Live Well

Author:Thomas Hobbes

“Felicity is a continual progress of the desire from one object to another, the attaining of the former being still but the way to the latter.”

Way Stills Desire Progress Objects Former Latter Felicity

Book:The Moral and Political Works To which is Prefixed the Autors Life, Extracted from that Said to be Written by Himself ... Illustr. by the Ed. - London 1750

Source: The Moral and Political Works To which is Prefixed the Autors Life, Extracted from that Said to be Written by Himself ... Illustr. by the Ed. - London 1750

“I put for the general inclination of all mankind, a perpetual and restless desire of power after power, that ceaseth only in death.”

Desire Mankind Perpetual Restless Inclination Leviathan Desire For Power Authority And Power

Author:Thomas Hobbes

“There is no such thing as perpetual tranquillity of mind while we live here; because life itself is but motion, and can never be without desire, nor without fear, no more than without sense.”

Mind Desire Fear Quiet Perpetual Tranquility Tranquillity Leviathan Perpetual Motion

Book:Leviathan

Source: Leviathan

“Humans are driven by a perpetual and restless desire of power.”

Humans Desire Driven Perpetual Restless

Author:Thomas Hobbes

“... it is one thing to desire, another to be in capacity fit for what we desire.”

Desire One Thing Fit Capacity