Thomas Hobbes

About

Seventeenth-century philosopher whose master work, Leviathan, was a key text in the development of political philosophy in the Western world.

Before Fame

He studied at Magdalen Hall, Oxford. One of his first philosophical publications was a 1640 treatise entitled "The Elements of Law, Natural and Politic."

Trivia

He is famous for his commentary on the natural state of man: life, he said, is lonely, cruel, and too brief.

Family Life

His father, Thomas Hobbes Sr., served as Vicar of both Westport and Charlton. Thomas Hobbes Jr. was born prematurely, in part because of his mother's terror over the Spanish Armada's imminent invasion.

Associated With

He and Enlightenment philosopher John Locke both supported the idea of "social contract theory," arguing that reasonable people can and should give up some of their individual freedoms and consent to rule by a higher power (whether the government or God).