PHIL 1010 Lecture 6: 6. Thomas Hobbes
23 Jan 2017
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The 17th-century english philosopher hobbes is known for his early elaboration of (cid:498)social contract theory(cid:499) between rational, free, and equal persons: a method for justifying political principles through an agreement. His most important work was the leviathan, published in english in 1651: he also wrote a history of the british civil war that was published in. His essential aim was to construct the principles of a civil polity that would not be subject to destruction from within: his outlook was influenced by the british civil war. All but absolute governments are vulnerable to civil war, and consequently people ought to submit themselves to an absolute political authority: continued stability depends upon not disputing and not rebelling against the sovereign. To demonstrate the reciprocal relationship between obedience and peace: without government, each person himself would be the sole determiner of his actions, as well as the judge, jury, and executioner wherever dispute arrives.
