Home / Quotes / Quote by Thomas Hobbes

Quote by Thomas Hobbes

“The original of all great and lasting societies consisted not in the mutual good will men had toward each other, but in the mutual fear they had of each other.”

Quote by Thomas Hobbes

Book:Man and Citizen: De Homine and De Cive

Work

Man and Citizen: De Homine and De Cive

This book is a philosophical work that delves into the concepts of human nature and the role of citizens in society, drawing from the works of classical philosophers. more

Author

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. more

You May Also Like

“For WAR, consisteth not in Battle only, or the act of fighting; but in a tract of time, wherein the Will to content by Battle is sufficiently known.... So the nature of War, consisteth not in actual fighting; but in the known disposition thereto, during all the time there is no assurance to the contrary. All other time is PEACE.”

War Fighting Known Battle Contrary Disposition Assurance Leviathan

Author:Thomas Hobbes

“And I profess still, that whatsoever the church of England (the church, I say, not every doctor) shall forbid me to say in matterof faith, I shall abstain from saying it, excepting this point, that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died for my sins. As for other doctrines, I think it unlawful, if the church define them, for any member of the church to contradict them.”

Ifs Thinking Stills Religion Jesus Christ Church Sin Son Members Jesus Christ Doctors England Died Doctrine Unlawful Church Of England

Book:The English Works of Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury

Source: The English Works of Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury

“For if I should not believe all that is written by Historians, of the glorious acts of Alexander, or Caesar; I do not think the Ghost of Alexander, or Caesar, had any just cause to be offended; or any body else, but the Historian. If Livy say the Gods made once a Cow speak, and we believe it not; we distrust not God therein, but Livy. So that it is evident, that whatsoever we believe, upon no other reason, then what is drawn from authority of men only, and their writings; whether they be sent from God or not, is Faith in men only.”

Source: Hobbes: Leviathan: Revised student edition

“The Scripture was written to shew unto men the kingdom of God; and to prepare their minds to become his obedient subjects; leavingthe world, and the Philosophy thereof, to the disputation of men, for the exercising of their natural Reason.”

Men World Mind Reason Philosophy Religion Natural Written Subjects Exercise Bible Philosophical Scripture Kingdoms Kingdom Of God Obedient

Book:Leviathan

Source: Leviathan

“It is manifest therefore that they who have sovereign power, are immediate rulers of the church under Christ, and all others but subordinate to them. If that were not, but kings should command one thing upon pain of death, and priests another upon pain of damnation, it would be impossible that peace and religion should stand together.”

Source: The Elements of Law, Natural and Politic: Part I, Human Nature, Part II, De Corpore Politico ; with Three Lives

“Wisdom, properly so called, is nothing else but this: the perfect knowledge of the truth in all matters whatsoever.”

Matter Wisdom Perfect

Book:The English Works of Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury

Source: The English Works of Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury

“When it happeneth that a man signifieth unto us two contradictory opinions whereof the one is clearly and directly signified, andthe other either drawn from that by consequence, or not known to be contradictory to it; then (when he is not present to explicate himself better) we are to take the former of his opinions; for that is clearly signified to be his, and directly, whereas the other might proceed from error in the deduction, or ignorance of the repugnancy.”

Men Two Might Language Known Opinion Ignorance Consequence Errors Former Interpretation Contradictory Deductions Hermeneutics

Book:The Elements of Law, Natural and Politic: Part I, Human Nature, Part II, De Corpore Politico ; with Three Lives

Source: The Elements of Law, Natural and Politic: Part I, Human Nature, Part II, De Corpore Politico ; with Three Lives

“Seeing then that truth consisteth in the right ordering of names in our affirmations, a man that seeketh precise truth, had need to remember what every name he uses stands for; and to place it accordingly; or else he will find himself entangled in words, as a bird in lime-twigs; the more he struggles, the more belimed.”

Men Needs Use Truth Remember Names Struggle Seeing Bird Definitions Affirmation Precise Twigs Limes

Book:Leviathan

Source: Leviathan

“True and false are attributes of speech not of things. And where speech is not, there is neither truth nor falsehood. Error theremay be, as when we expect that which shall not be; or suspect what has not been: but in neither case can a man be charged with untruth.”

Men Truth Lying Cases Speech Errors Suspects Attributes Falsehood Untruth True And False

Author:Thomas Hobbes

“This I know; God cannot sin, because his doing a thing makes it just, and consequently, no sin.... And therefore it is blasphemy to say, God can sin; but to say, that God can so order the world, as a sin may be necessarily caused thereby in a man, I do not see how it is any dishonor to him.”

Knows Men World May God Order Sin Knowing God Blasphemy Dishonor

Book:Hobbes and Bramhall on Liberty and Necessity

Source: Hobbes and Bramhall on Liberty and Necessity