19 - Hobbes by Leslie Stephen

from Hobbes · host Leslie Stephen

Dive into the life and philosophy of Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) who, despite living through the chaos of the English Civil War, managed to articulate groundbreaking socio-political theories. His seminal work, Leviathan, presents a unique take on social contract theory. Instead of a contract between the ruler and the ruled, Hobbes posits a pact among the subjects themselves. Leslie Stephens describes Hobbes vision of an absolute sovereign, symbolized in the Leviathan cover art as a towering giant, composed of countless human figures, wielding both a sword and a crozier, encapsulating the concept of a mortal deity, a sovereign authority. (Summary by Pamela Nagami, M.D.)

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This episode was published on July 26, 2025.

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