Episode 21, Thomas Hobbes's Political Philosophy (Part I)

Welcome to Episode 21 (Part I of II) on Thomas Hobbes's Political Philosophy.

Few political thinkers can be considered as influential as Thomas Hobbes. Published in 1651, Hobbes’s most famous work, the Leviathan (or The Matter, Forme and Power of a Common Wealth Ecclesiasticall and Civil), argues that to leave a hypothetical state of nature, we must sign a social contract and submit ourselves to be ruled by an absolute sovereign. The state of nature is “a war of all against all”. The only rational way out for Hobbes is to establish a strong and undivided government. In this episode we’ll be asking questions like; Who was Hobbes and why is he important? What is human nature? Why do we need government?

This week in Part I, we'll be discussing Hobbes's life and the state of nature. 

As always, you can find the main texts as well as links to additional content at the bottom of the page. Please help support the show by subscribing on iTunes, Android or tunein. Thank you!

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Part I. Life and Historical Context (03:00)

Part II. The State of Nature (13:45)

Part III. The Solution (00:10 - in Part II)

Part IV. Further Analysis and Discussion (18:15 - in Part II)