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Thomas Hobbes Quotes

Biography: Thomas Hobbes is known for his influential work in political philosoph... more Biography: Thomas Hobbes is known for his influential work in political philosophy, particularly his book "Leviathan." Born in 1588 in England, Hobbes developed the social contract theory, arguing that a strong central authority is necessary to prevent the chaos of a state of nature. His ideas laid the groundwork for modern political science. less

"For it can never be that war shall preserve life, and peace destroy it."

Tags: Philosophy, Life, Humanity, Morality, Peace

"A wise man should so write (though in words understood by all men), that wise men only should be able to commend him."

Tags: Wisdom, Understanding, Communication, Literature, Insight

"All generous minds have a horror of what are commonly called 'Facts.' They are the brute beasts of the intellectual domain."

Tags: Philosophy, Wisdom, Perception, Knowledge, Truth

"Desire to know why, and how, curiosity; such as is in no living creature but man."

Tags: Philosophy, Human nature, Knowledge, Exploration, Curiosity

"Imagination and memory are but one thing, which for divers considerations hath divers names. "

Tags: Philosophy, Creativity, Perspective, Perception, Imagination

"Prudence is but experience, which equal time equally bestows on all men in those things they equally apply themselves unto. "

Tags: Self-improvement, Wisdom, Human nature, Life lessons, Knowledge

"By covenant only, that is to say, by mutual contract, he becomes subject to civil laws."

Tags: Society, Government, Political philosophy, Social contract, Law and order

"To say that a man is merry and jovial, because he has a kindly heart towards others, is a vulgar error."

Tags: Philosophy, Human nature, Empathy, Kindness, Character

"Words are wise men's counters, they do but reckon by them; but they are the money of fools."

Tags: Wisdom, Perception, Communication, Intelligence, Meaning

"I am about to take my last voyage, a great leap in the dark."

Tags: Life, Journey, Uncertainty, Mystery, Death

"The power of a man is his present means to obtain some future apparent good."

Tags: Motivation, Success, Strength, Future, Power

"The obligation of subjects to the sovereign is understood to last as long and no longer than the power lasteth by which he is able to protect them."

Tags: Authority, Political philosophy, Protection, Power dynamics, Sovereignty

"The office of the sovereign, be it a monarch or an assembly, consisteth in the end for which he was entrusted with the sovereign power, namely the procuration of the safety of the people."

Tags: Leadership, Responsibility, Power, Government, Authority

"Liberty is the absence of all the impediments to action that are not contained in the nature and in the intrinsic quality of the agent."

Tags: Philosophy, Freedom, Nature, Action, Self-determination

"Such truth as opposeth no man's profit nor pleasure is to all men welcome."

Tags: Human nature, Truth, Acceptance, Comfort, Pleasure