Thomas Hobbes - Man Quotes

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The privilege of absurdity; to which no living creature is subject, but man only.

Thomas Hobbes
But this priviledge, is allayed by another; and that is, by the priviledge of Absurdity; to which no living creature is subject, but man only.

Thomas Hobbes
By art is created that great Leviathan, called a commonwealth or state, (in Latin civitas) which is but an artificial man…and in which, the sovereignty is an artificial soul.

Thomas Hobbes
And because the condition of Man, (as hath been declared in the precedent Chapter) is a condition of Warre of every one against everyone; in which case every one is governed by his own Reason; and there is nothing he can make use of, that may not be a help unto him, in preserving his life against his enemyes; It followeth, that in such a condition, every man has a Right to every thing; even to one anothers body.

Thomas Hobbes
Hereby it is manifest, that during the time men live without a common Power to keep them all in awe, they are in that conditions called Warre; and such a warre, as is of every man, against every man.

Thomas Hobbes
That a man be willing, when others are so too, as farre-forth, as for Peace, and defence 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 against himself.

Thomas Hobbes
Man is distinguished, not only by his reason; but also by this singular passion from other animals... which is a lust of the mind, that by a perseverance of delight in the continual and indefatigable generation of knowledge, exceeds the short vehemence of any carnal pleasure.

Thomas Hobbes
Whereas some have attributed the dominion [of the family] to the man only, as being of the more excellent sex; they misreckon in it. For there is not always that difference of strength, or prudence between the man and the woman, as that the right can be determined without war.

Thomas Hobbes
For to accuse requires less eloquence, such is man's nature, than to excuse; and condemnation, than absolution, more resembles justice.

Thomas Hobbes
For such Truth as opposeth no man's profit nor pleasure is to all men welcome.

Thomas Hobbes
And in these foure things, Opinion of Ghosts, Ignorance of second causes, Devotion towards what men fear, and Taking of things Casuall for Prognostics, consisteth the Natural seed of Religion; which by reason of the different Fancies, Judgements, and Passions of severall men, hath grown up into ceremonies so different, that those which are used by one man, are for the most part ridiculous to another.

Thomas Hobbes
The RIGHT OF NATURE, which Writers commonly call Jus Naturale, 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; and consequently, of doing any thing, which in his own Judgement, and Reason, he shall conceive to be the aptest means thereunto.

Thomas Hobbes
No man's error becomes his own Law; nor obliges him to persist in it.

Thomas Hobbes
A free man is he that, in those things which by his strength and wit he is able to do, is not hindered to do what he has a will to.

Thomas Hobbes
For naturall Bloud is in like manner made of the fruits of the Earth; and circulating, nourisheth by the way, every Member of the Body of Man.

Thomas Hobbes
To understand this for sense it is not required that a man should be a geometrician or a logician, but that he should be mad.

Thomas Hobbes