POL200Y1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 19: Civil Revolution, Quiet Life, Leviathan
Quiet life, never married, noble family
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Worked as secretary, tutor, historian, philosopher
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Had to live in France to avoid civil revolution
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Introduction (to Hobbes)
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Brother died in civil war - Sidney, dedicated to
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Defend civil power
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Discourse to commonwealth / debates on civil power
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Crisis in Roman Republic, Romans holed up on
capital, gauls climb up cliff to capital, Romans
are saved when the geese start squawking at the
gauls --> the Gods must love Romans
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Hobbes : I am geese for every government,
protect government, doesn't care who / what,
defend all civil authority
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2 - comparison to goose? : I speak not of the men,
but in the abstract to the seat of power
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Doesn't say why he aims to do so
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Might upset certain parties, turned scripture
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Dedicatory
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Man as great creator, he is greatest creation of God
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Leviathan is man's greatest creation
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Supposed to remind humans how small we are
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Leviathan is nothing compared to God --> we
need God, so weak --> exists to counteract human
pride
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Biblical : scary monster, no one but God can kill
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Human creation, our greatest paradoxical
vision: exists to crush pride, yet proudest
creation
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Hobbes's Leviathan : collection of commonwealth,
all powerful entity, prevent conflict, 'mortal God',
to secure rule
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Trusting in others: instead of relying on books,
rely on selves --> challenge to reader, don't just
accept
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Free from others, but not too much pride in
selves
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Key to riddle is the Leviathan
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2 goals : provide theoretical defense for all
regimes, and free us from influence in external
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Introduction
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Understanding of human mind
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Everything we think about comes from sense,
appearance of world
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Everything we think about comes from sense
perception and imprisoned by it --> can't think
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Chapters 1-3 - psychology
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Lecture 2.7: Intro to Hobbes,
Leviathan
, 1-12
February 16, 2017
2:00 PM
LECTURE Page 53
Document Summary
Had to live in france to avoid civil revolution. Brother died in civil war - sidney, dedicated to. Discourse to commonwealth / debates on civil power. : i speak not of the men, but in the abstract to the seat of power. Crisis in roman republic, romans holed up on capital, gauls climb up cliff to capital, romans are saved when the geese start squawking at the gauls --> the gods must love romans. Hobbes : i am geese for every government, protect government, doesn"t care who / what, defend all civil authority. Doesn"t say why he aims to do so. Man as great creator, he is greatest creation of god. Biblical : scary monster, no one but god can kill. Supposed to remind humans how small we are. Leviathan is nothing compared to god --> we need god, so weak --> exists to counteract human pride.
