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Quote by Thomas Hobbes

“The passions of men are commonly more potent than their reason.”

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

Work

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

This seminal work delves into the concepts of sovereignty, governance, and the relationship between the church and the state, offering a foundational text in political philosophy. more

Author

Thomas Hobbes

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

“We are not to renounce our senses and experience, nor (that which is the undoubted Word of God) our natural Reason. For they are the talents which he hath put into our hands to negotiate, till the coming again of our blessed savior, and therefore not to be folded up in the napkin of an implicate faith, but employed in the purchase of justice, peace, and true religion. For though there be many things in God's Word above Reason--that is to say, which cannot by natural reason be either demonstrated or confuted--yet there is nothing contrary to it.”

Reason Hands Natural Justice Talent Blessed Contrary Senses Savior Word Of God Employed Renounce True Religion Napkins

Author:Thomas Hobbes

“The value of all things contracted for, is measured by the appetite of the contractors, and therefore the just value is that which they be contented to give.”

Giving Values All Things Appetite Contractor

Book:The Essential Leviathan: A Modernized Edition

Source: The Essential Leviathan: A Modernized Edition

“For such is the nature of men, that howsoever they may acknowledge many others to be more witty, or more eloquent, or more learned, yet they will hardly believe there be many so wise as themselves, for they see their own wit at hand, and other men's at a distance. But this proveth rather that men are in that point equal, than unequal. For there is not ordinarily a greater sign of the equal distribution of any thing than that every man is contented with his share.”

Men Believe May Wisdom Hands Greater Wise Share Equal Distance Witty Wit Every Man Acknowledge Distribution Eloquent Nature Of Man

Book:The English Works of Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury

Source: The English Works of Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury

“Men measure not only other men, but all other things, by themselves.”

Men

Book:Leviathan - Revised Edition

Source: Leviathan - Revised Edition

“The characters of man's heart, blotted and confounded as they are with dissembling, lying, counterfeiting, and erroneous doctrines, are legible only to him that searcheth hearts.”

Men Heart Character Lying Doctrine

Book:Leviathan

Source: Leviathan

“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

“Because waking I often observe the absurdity of dreams, but never dream of the absurdities of my waking thoughts, I am well satisfied that being awake, I know I dream not; though when I dream, I think myself awake.”

Thinking Knows Wells Dream Satisfied Awake Waking Absurdity

Book:The Moral and Political Works of Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury: Never Before Collected Together : To which is Prefixed, the Author's Life, Extracted from that Said to be Written by Himself, ...

Source: The Moral and Political Works of Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury: Never Before Collected Together : To which is Prefixed, the Author's Life, Extracted from that Said to be Written by Himself, ...

“Let a man (as most men do) rate themselves as the highest Value they can; yet their true Value is no more than it is esteemed by others.”

Men Values Highest Rate True Value

Book:Leviathan

Source: Leviathan

“The oath adds nothing to the obligation. For a covenant, if lawful, binds in the sight of God, without the oath, as much as with it; if unlawful, bindeth not at all, though it be confirmed with an oath.”

Ifs Sight Add Obligation Oath Covenant Unlawful

Book:The English Works of Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury

Source: The English Works of Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury

“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.”