The natural state of man is a state of war , claimed the philosopher Thomas Hobbes. The English state theorist put forward this thesis in his main work “Leviathan”, which was first published in 1651 and is still quoted today. In the philosophy quiz, you will need to know even more about the representative of political absolutism and can prove your knowledge of him.
Quiz
Thomas Hobbes was born on April 5, 1588 in Westport near Malmesbury, England, and died on December 4, 1679 in Hardwick Hall. Thomas Hobbes called for a strong centralized authority and the absolute power of the sovereign. This was intended to pacify the state of war. The England of his time was torn apart by armed conflict: Nobility against nobility, nobility against bourgeoisie, with the various churches, the Scots and Irish in between, etc.
His theory of “war of all against all” has been the subject of many philosophers since. Thomas Hobbes claimed that humans are selfish by nature and intent on pursuing their own interests. In this state of nature, there would therefore be no rules, no laws and no authority. Only an absolute sovereign, recognized by all members of society, could put an end to this permanent state of war.
The importance of Thomas Hobbes for the coming Enlightenment should not be underestimated. He is regarded as one of the most important representatives of enlightened absolutism, and the church is no longer assigned a special position. With the help of a social contract, people can regulate their own lives.
No wonder Thomas Hobbes had to live with hostility from the church. He lived in exile in Paris for a time and was banned from publishing after his return.
Are you ready for the philosophy quiz with 9 quiz questions on Thomas Hobbes? Then get started and prove your knowledge!
04. December 25, 10:00 – Isabell Slisz
