Quotes by Thomas Hobbes

About Thomas Hobbes:

Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury was an English philosopher, best known today for his work on political philosophy. His 1651 book Leviathan established social contract theory, the foundation of most later Western political philosophy.
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There is no such thing as perpetual tranquillity of mind while we live here; because life itself is but motion, and can never be without desire, nor without fear, no more than without sense.

Thomas Hobbes

Science is the knowledge of consequences, and dependence of one fact upon another.

Thomas Hobbes

A man cannot lay down the right of resisting them that assault him by force, to take away his life.

Thomas Hobbes

The right of nature... is the liberty each man hath to use his own power, as he will himself, for the preservation of his own nature; that is to say, of his own life.

Thomas Hobbes

War consisteth not in battle only, or the act of fighting; but in a tract of time, wherein the will to contend by battle is sufficiently known.

Thomas Hobbes

Words are the money of fools.

Thomas Hobbes

In the state of nature profit is the measure of right.

Thomas Hobbes

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.

Thomas Hobbes

That a man be willing, when others are so too, as far forth as for peace and defense of himself he shall think it necessary, to lay down this right to all things; and be contented with so much liberty against other men, as he would allow other men ag...

Thomas Hobbes

Such is the nature of men, that howsoever they may acknowledge many others to be more witty, or more eloquent, or more learned; yet they will hardly believe there be many so wise as themselves.

Thomas Hobbes

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

Thomas Hobbes

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

Thomas Hobbes

During the time men live without a common power to keep them all in awe, they are in that conditions called war; and such a war, as if of every man, against every man.

Thomas Hobbes

Force and fraud are in war the two cardinal virtues.

Thomas Hobbes

The condition of man... is a condition of war of everyone against everyone.

Thomas Hobbes

It is not wisdom but Authority that makes a law.

Thomas Hobbes

Author Bio

  • NameThomas Hobbes
  • Descriptionphilosopher
  • AliasesThomas Hobbes of Malmesbury; Hobbes
  • BornApril 5, 1588
  • DiedDecember 4, 1679
  • CountryKingdom Of England
  • ProfessionActivist; Writer; Political Scientist