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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

“A private man has always the liberty (because thought is free) to believe or not believe in his heart those acts that have been given out for miracles, according as he shall see what benefits can accrue by men's belief, to those that pretend, or countenance them, and thereby conjecture whether they be miracles or lies.”

Men Believe Heart Has Beens Lying Belief Given Liberty Benefits Miracle Countenance Conjecture

Author:Thomas Hobbes

“I know not how the world will receive it, nor how it may reflect on those that shall seem to favor it. For in a way beset with those that contend, on one side for too great Liberty , and on the other side for too much Authority , 'tis hard to passe between the points of both unwounded.”

Knows World Way May Hard Seems Sides Liberty Too Much Authority Favors

Book:Leviathan

Source: Leviathan

“The right of nature... is the liberty each man hath to use his own power, as he will himself, for the preservation of his own nature; that is to say, of his own life.”

Men Life Use Nature Liberty Preservation Leviathan

Book:Leviathan, Parts I and II

Source: Leviathan, Parts I and II

“Subjects have no greater liberty in a popular than in a monarchial state. That which deceives them is the equal participation of command.”

States Liberty Greater Subjects Equal Command Deceiving Participation

Author:Thomas Hobbes

“Unnecessary laws are not good laws, but traps for money.”

Law Freedom Liberty Libertarian Libertarianism Traps Unnecessary

Book:Leviathan

Source: Leviathan

“All men, among themselves, are by nature equal. The inequality we now discern hath its spring from the civil law.”

Men Law Liberty Equal Spring Inequality

Book:Man and Citizen: De Homine and De Cive

Source: Man and Citizen: De Homine and De Cive

“What reason is there that he which laboreth much, and, sparing the fruits of his labor, consumeth little, should be more charged than he that, living idly, getteth little and spendeth all he gets, seeing the one hath no more protection from the commonwealth than the other?”

Should Littles Reason Liberty Seeing Labor Fruit Protection Commonwealth

Author:Thomas Hobbes

“For there are very few so foolish who would not rather govern themselves than be governed by others.”

Liberty Foolish

Author:Thomas Hobbes

“Life in the state of nature is solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.”

States Poor Liberty Society Solitary Nasty

Book:Thomas Hobbes: Leviathan (Longman Library of Primary Sources in Philosophy)

Source: Thomas Hobbes: Leviathan (Longman Library of Primary Sources in Philosophy)

“A free man is he that, in those things which by his strength and wit he is able to do, is not hindered to do what he has a will to.”

Men Able Liberty Wit Free Man

Author:Thomas Hobbes

“That a man be willing, when others are so too, as far forth as for peace and defense of himself he shall think it necessary, to lay down this right to all things; and be contented with so much liberty against other men, as he would allow other men against himself.”

Thinking Men Peace Liberty Willing All Things Lays Defense Leviathan

Book:Leviathan, Parts I and II

Source: Leviathan, Parts I and II