Table Of Content?ELICAN iiLM ***
A367
HOBBES
RICHARD PETERS
HOBBES
RichardPeters
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Firstpublished1956
KfadeandprintedinGreatBritain
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LondonandTonbridge
ToJ.P.
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THOMAS HOBBES
CONTENTS
EditorialForeword 9
o
Preface i
LIFE AND PROBLEMS
1 13
METHOD MAKETH MAN
2 45
NATURE AND MIND 80
3
4 SENSE AND IMAGINATION IO2
SPEECH
5 I 19
6 MOTIVATION 138
7 MOTIVES AND MORALITY l6o
8 THE STATE IpO
9 SOVEREIGNTY, LAW, AND
FORMS OF GOVERNMENT
215
IO RELIGION 240
Index 267
EDITORIAL FOREWORD
THE series to which this book belongs is devoted
both to the history and to the problems of philo-
sophy in all its various branches. It is intended for
the general reader, but not exclusively. The aim is
to write at a level which will also interest the
specialist. Beyond this there has been no attempt
at uniformity. The series is not designed to reflect
the standpoint ofany one philosophical school.
In recent times the fame ofThomas Hobbes has
rested chiefly on his political philosophy, which is
principally distinguished by his theory of sove-
reignty. But, as Mr Peters shows, this is by no
means theonlythingforwhichheisworthreading.
In particular his theoryoflanguage remains ofthe
greatest interest. Hobbes was an exceptionally
acute thinker, and even those who are unable to
accept his thorough-going materialism will find
that they have much to learn from a comprehen-
sive study ofhis work.
A. AVER
J.
PREFACE
THE texts ofHobbes' works used andreferred toin this bookare
those edited by Sir William Molesworth.1 The English Works of
ThomasHobbes (editedbyMolesworthinelevenvolumesandpub-
lished in 1839) will be abbreviated to E.W. and the Opera Latina
(editedbyMolesworthinfivevolumesandpublishedin 1845) will
beabbreviated to L.W. Thusa referencetothe tenthpageofe.g.
LeviathanwillappearasE.W. Ill, 10. Readerswhomaybestimu-
lated by this book to read Leviathan, at least, for themselves, will
find Michael Oakeshott's edition in Blackwell's Political Texts
most suitable. The editor has provided an imaginative introduc-
tion.
InmyattemptinthisbooktoreconstructHobbes'problemsand
topresenthissolutionstothem, Ihavebeen mosthelpedbyG. C.
Robertson'sHobbes (Blackwood, London, 1886),J. Laird'sHobbes
(Ernest Benn, London, 1934), and F. Brandt's Thomas Hobbes9
Mechanical Conception ofNature (Engl. Trans., Hachette, London,
1928). The last mentioned bookis an indispensable classic for all
serious students ofHobbes. Readers who are more anxious for a
generalimpressionthanfortechnicalitieswillfindLeslieStephen's
Hobbes(Macmillan,London, 1904)stimulatingaswellasscholarly.
I am indebted to Miss Helen Herveyfor lendingme a copy of
her Ph.D. thesis on Hobbes' Theory ofTruth andKnowledge^ which
wasagreathelptomeingatheringtogethertherelevantmaterial
from Hobbes for my second chapter. I am also grateful to Ruth
Saw, Maurice Cranston, and Professor H. B. Acton for reading
andcommentingonpartsofthebook,andtoProfessorA.J.Ayer,
the editor ofthe series, for his detailed suggestions for improve-
ments especiallyonpointsofstyle.ButmygreatestdebtistoJohn
Watkinswhohashelpedmeenormouslywithhispainstakingcom-
mentson thewholebook.
I. InreproducingquotationsfromthetextoftheMolesworthedition
the italics have been ignored except in one or two places where they
seemednecessarytothesenseofthepassage. Inoneortwootherplaces
italics have been used by the author tosiresssome pointhe is making
aboutHobbes' ownwords. Thesepassagesareindicatedbymeansofa
footnote.
KEY TO HOBBES' MAJOR WORKS IN
THE MOLESWORTH EDITION
E.W. I DeCorpore (English translation)
E.W. II Philosophical Rudiments concerning Govern-
ment andSociety (the English translation
ofDe Give)
E.W. Ill Leviathan
E.W. IV HumanNature
DeCorporePolitico
OfLibertyandNecessity
E.W. V The Questions Concerning Liberty, Necessity,
andChance
E.W. VI A Dialogue between a Philosopher and a Stu-
dentofTheCommonLawsofEngland
Behemoth
E.W. VIII, IX TranslationofThucydides
L.W. I Vitaand auctarium (supplement)
Vita carmine expressa (the verse autobio-
graphy)
L.W. II DeHomine
The Little Treatise or A Short Tract on First Principles is
published as an appendix to The Elements of Law (ed.
Tonnies, G.U.P., 1928).
Thedatesandcontextsoftheaboveworkscanbefound
inGh. I.
