Second Year Humanities Prof. B.J. Stahl
Unit: Hobbes
Lecture: "Hobbes, Leviathan, and the New Science"
STUDENT OUTLINE
I. Thomas Hobbes and the English government of his time
A. Hobbes1 life: born (1588) when Elizabeth ruled and Shakespeare wrote
1) graduated Oxford & became tutor to son of Earl of Devonshire
2) fled to Paris because of political turmoil: wrote Leviathan (1651) B. Parliament gaining power to challenge monarch's "divine right"
1) House of Lords: seats for nobility and bishops
2) House of Commons: seats for men of property
C. Civil War: King & Cavaliers vs. Parliament & Oliver Cromwell
(and the Roundheads)
II. Leviathan -- the foundation of modern political science
A. Its contents: a design for the ideal government based on man's nature B. Hobbes' thesis: the Sovereign's power comes from the people, not God C. Hobbes' analogy between the human body & the State (an artificial man)
III. Development of the Sciences in the 17th century A. Astronomy: Copernicus, Kepler, Galileo B. Mathematics: logarithms and the calculus invented; use of decimals;
Descartes expounds analytical geometry
Newton's Principia Mathematica (1687) C. Experimental science: Francis Bacon's principles
Harvey demonstrates the circulation of the blood
IV. Hobbes influenced by the New Science
A. Hobbes' interest in mathematics; his meeting with Galileo
B. His systematic approach to solving the problem of governance
C. Hobbes' materialism: the concept of matter and motion in Leviathan
D. His concern for precise language; his scorn for "absurd speech"
E. His faith in reason and human effort: knowledge gives men power