Hobbes

Question 1

What is the Leviathan?

Answer 1

The commonwealth or state, an artificial man, just of greater stature. Sovereignty gives it life.

Question 2

What is the origin of thought?

Answer 2

-Sense, rest is derived from this

Question 3

What happens if an object is removed from our eyes?

Answer 3

-We retain an image but more obscure, this is imagination

Question 4

Imagination is nothing but…

Answer 4

decaying sense

Question 5

what is it when we express and signify the decay of sense?

Answer 5

-this is memory

Question 6

What is the noblest of inventions and why?

Answer 6

• Speech

- Without it there would be no commonwealth, no society, no peace

Question 7

Whats the general use of speech?

Answer 7

-to transfer our mental discourse into verbal

Question 8

What are the special uses of speech?

Answer 8

• to find the cause of something past or present
• to show others our knowledge
• to make our wills known to each other
• to pleasure and delight ourself

Question 9

What are the abuses of speech?

Answer 9

• When men deceive by registering their thoughts wrong
• when they use metaphor and deceive
• declaring something to be your will when it isn’t
• giving each other grief

Question 10

What does man do when he reasons?

Answer 10

-he conceives a sum total

Question 11

what is reason?

Answer 11

-Reason is the reckoning of the consequences of general names agreed upon for the making and signifying of our thoughts

Question 12

What is endeavour?

Answer 12

-the small beginning of motion, the will to do something

Question 13

What is endeavour towards something? and away from something?

Answer 13

• Towards something it’s desire

- Away from something its aversion

Question 14

How do we gain most appetites and aversions?

Answer 14

-Through experience and the trial of their effects on us and others

Question 15

Are men equal?

Answer 15

• In faculties of body yes
• Some are stronger and some are weaker. but the weakest man can kill the strongest through plotting or combining with others

Question 16

what is the nature of man? and why?

Answer 16

• To believe that some may be more witty or eloquent but none will be as wise
• this is due to us experience of us only receiving our wisdom directly

Question 17

When do men become enemies?

Answer 17

when they desire the same thing

Question 18

In the state of nature, which three principles cause quarrel?

Answer 18

• Competition
• Diffidence (modesty/shyness from lack of self-confidence)
• Glory

Question 19

What state do men exist in without a common power to keep them in awe?

Answer 19

-state of war

Question 20

What are the laws of nature?

Answer 20

-The passions which incline men to peace, fear of death, etc

Question 21

What is the right of nature?

Answer 21

-liberty men have to use their own power for the preservation of their own nature

Question 22

What is liberty?

Answer 22

• The absence of external impediments
• impediments may often stop someone doing what they would, but cannot stop him from using power left to him according to his judgement

Question 23

What governs people in the state of war?

Answer 23

• Everyone is governed to their own reason

- Every man has a right to everything

Question 24

What are the two main rules of nature?

Answer 24

• Strive for peace

- By all means we can defend ourselves

Question 25

What does a covenant need to not be void?

Answer 25

-A common power

Question 26

What is a person?

Answer 26

-Someone whos words or actions are considered their own, or as representing someone else, or any other thing

Question 27

What are the different types of person?

Answer 27

- Someone who acts on their own accord is a natural person - Someone who represents someone else is a feigned or artificial person - Person who has someone reflecting their words, is an author

Question 28

Why is it important that every man consents to the covenant?

Answer 28

-It's the unity of the represent not the unity of the represented that makes the person one

Question 29

What is the design of men in establishing a commonwealth?

Answer 29

their own preservation so that they can live a better life. They can remove themselves from the constant condition of war War is inevitable when men have no power to keem them in awe and tie them by fear of punishment to a covenant

Question 30

What is the only way to erect a strong stable common power?

Answer 30

-To confer all power into one man, or an assembly of men that reduce all wills into one

Question 31

What are the two ways power can be attained?

Answer 31

- Natural force, where a man makes people submit to him or his government, as he would be able to destroy them if they refused. This is a commonwealth by acquisition - men agree amongst themselves to submit to a man or assembly, this is a political commonwealth by institution

Question 32

What happens if a few dissented to the covenant but most agreed?

Answer 32

-Those who dissented must consent with rest

Question 33

Why can't the sovereign do any injury to his subjects?

Answer 33

- he acts through thier authority | - Someone complaining of injury from the sovereign, complains about something of which they are the author

Question 34

What are the different types of sovereign in commonwealth?

Answer 34

- Representative is one man, it's a monarchy - assembly open to all men is a democracy - assembly open to part is an aristocracy

Question 35

Why does Hobbes feel monarch is best type of sovereign?

Answer 35

- Monarch's political body is same as the public body, will act in public interest - Monarchs can receive counsel of those well versed in issues, assembles can't - The only inconsistency monarch's resolutions are subject to is human nature/ assemblies other inconsistencies like contrary opinion - A monarch cannot disagree with himself out of envy or interest, assembly can

Question 36

What role is fear playing in a commonwealth by institution and by acquisition ?

Answer 36

- In a commonwealth by institution men subject themselves to it through fear of each other - In a commonwealth by acquisition men subject themselves to it through fear of sovereign - in both cases fear is the motivation, covenant proceed from fear of death and violence

Question 37

What are the two ways dominion can be acquired?

Answer 37

- Paternal dominion by generation: this is the right parent has over their child, god has assigned man a helper. - Despotical dominion/ dominion acquired by conquest: This is where dominion is acquired to the victor in a war. The vanquished becomes a servant

Question 38

When can we say someone does not have liberty?

Answer 38

-If someone cannot move or is having their movement confined, unable to act on their will

Question 39

Whats the issue with conflating free and liberty?

Answer 39

-that which is not subject to motion is not subject to impediment, the way can be free but this isn't liberty.

Question 40

Why are fear and liberty consistent and what example is given?

Answer 40

- Just because we are scared doesn't mean we can't act on our will in that moment - a man throws all his goods off a boat into sea through fear of sinking. He does this willingly and can refuse if he wants, but it's in his interest to stay alive as liberty and necessity are consistent.