Leviathan by Thomas Hobbes, The Introduction summary
The Introduction of 65 · 4 min to read the chapter
In The Introduction, the writer presents the commonwealth as an artificial person whose parts serve political functions, and outlines his subjects of inquiry. He then argues that understanding human passions through self-examination, while allowing for different circumstances and desires, provides the basis for understanding humankind and governing a nation.
What happens
- Human art imitates nature by making machines whose movements resemble life.
- The commonwealth resembles a human body, with sovereignty, officials, laws, and other parts performing distinct functions.
- The writer outlines inquiries into humanity, political covenants and authority, Christian commonwealths, and the kingdom of darkness.
- He argues that self-examination reveals shared human passions, though their objects differ with temperament and upbringing.
- He warns that judging actions without comparing circumstances encourages mistaken trust or distrust.
- Government requires understanding humankind, and readers must test his account against their own experience.
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What serves as the commonwealth's artificial soul?
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