The Law of Nature and the Natural Condition of Mankind

Abstract

Hobbes held that the universe consists of nothing but matter in motion — or at rest. He claimed that human psychology may be reduced to physical laws. The opening chapters of Leviathan are devoted to illustrating and confirming this thesis. He also held that people can understand human nature by introspection, arguing (as Montaigne and Descartes had argued) that by examining our own thoughts and passions we may discover truths about the thoughts and passions of everyone (Lev Introduction 2). His political doctrines were based upon his theory of human nature — a theory which De Corpore (on body, or matter) and De Homine (on man) were intended to vindicate, but which (in Hobbes’ opinion) was sufficiently confirmed by self-examination and by everyday experience. It was because his political theory was grounded in principles evident from experience that Hobbes felt able to publish De Cive before the other two parts of his philosophical trilogy (DC preface to the reader, 10, 19).