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Leviathan summary
Thomas Hobbes
or the Matter, Forme and Power of a Commonwealth Ecclesiasticall and Civil
22 mins
Brief summary
Leviathan by Thomas Hobbes is a foundational work in political philosophy, discussing the social contract theory and the role of government in maintaining order.
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Leviathan
Summary of 9 key ideas
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Key idea 1 of 9
Everything we understand about the world is based on properly assigning words to what we sense.
The day is bright and sunny, with the sun warming your skin. If you were to describe this scene to a friend, how would you do so?
Would you try dancing it? Probably not – you’d likely choose words to describe it.
Language and the meanings it can conjure are what help us understand our world. But how does language do so, exactly?
First we must understand how our senses work. Through touch, sound and sight, we gain an understanding of the environment, as a result of “pressure” on the body’s nerves. The only things that can trigger nerves to stimulate our senses are objects with a physical “body,” like a rock we can touch, music we can hear or light we can see.
After a sensory impulse, we are left with a mental image of an object, and can then elaborate our understanding of the object and its context. For instance, when looking at the hands of a clock, you can process the image to understand the hands are part of a timepiece.
Being able to ascribe the right words to an experience is essential to reason. Without the proper language it would be impossible to accurately explain objects or concepts. Imagine if the only number you knew was “one.” What would you say when a clock struck a second time?
Yet just having the right words isn’t enough; you need to put them together logically.
But why is order important? The sequencing of words helps us create patterns of reason to determine what normally follows a certain action. In other words, reason shows us the correlation between things.
If you know that an egg will break when it falls, this logical sequence of words shows us that it is also true that all eggs will break when they fall. So when you see an egg rolling close to a table’s edge, you can predict what will happen next.
The information you derive from correlations lets you take certain actions to produce particular outcomes, and importantly, helps you predict the actions of others.
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What is Leviathan about?
Leviathan (1651) examines the relationship of society and rulers and is widely held as a classic work on the nature of statecraft. English philosopher Thomas Hobbes believed that man’s natural inclination to war could only be tamed by a strong, centralized government. In these blinks, you’ll learn why Hobbes felt a commonwealth of men under a strong monarch was the only solution to securing peace and security for all.
Leviathan Review
Leviathan (1651) is a seminal work in political philosophy that remains relevant today. Here's why this book is worth reading:
- It introduces the social contract theory, which has influenced modern political thought.
- The book provides a comprehensive analysis of human nature and the role of government in maintaining order.
- Its thought-provoking ideas and timeless wisdom make it an essential read for anyone interested in politics and philosophy.
Best quote from Leviathan
Mankind has a perpetual and restless desire for power, a desire that ceases only in death.
—Thomas Hobbes
Who should read Leviathan?
- Sociologists, historians and political scientists or students of political science
- People interested in how certain forms of government came to be
- Students examining the origins of law and early government
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Leviathan FAQs
What is the main message of Leviathan?
Leviathan explores the social contract theory and the role of government in maintaining order in society.
How long does it take to read Leviathan?
Reading Leviathan usually takes about 15 hours, while the Blinkist summary can be read in just 20 minutes.
Is Leviathan a good book? Is it worth reading?
Leviathan is a must-read for anyone interested in political philosophy and the foundations of modern political thought.
Who is the author of Leviathan?
The author of Leviathan is Thomas Hobbes.
How many chapters are in Leviathan?
Leviathan by Thomas Hobbes consists of 47 chapters. The chapters are
- Of Man
- Of Sense
- Of Imagination
- Of Speech
- Of Reason and Science
- Of the Interior Beginnings of Voluntary Motions
- Of the Ends or Resolutions of Discourse
- Of the Virtues
- Of the Several Subjects of Knowledge
- Of Power, Worth, Dignity, Honour, and Worthiness
- Of the Difference of Manners
- Of Religion
- Of the Natural Condition of Mankind
- Of the First and Second Natural Laws, and of Contracts
- Of Other Laws of Nature
- Of Persons, Authors, and Things Personated
- Of the Causes, Generation, and Definition of a Commonwealth
- Of the Rights of Sovereigns by Institution
- Of the Several Kinds of Commonwealth by Institution
- Of Dominion Paternal and Despotical
- Of the Liberty of Subjects
- Of Systems Subject, Political and Private
- Of the Public Ministers of Sovereign Power
- Of the Nutrition and Procreation of a Commonwealth
- Of Counsellors and Councils
- Of Civil Laws
- Of Crimes, Excuses, and Extenuations
- Of Punishments and Rewards
- Of Those Things That Weaken or Tend to the Dissolution of a Commonwealth
- Of the Office of the Sovereign Representative
- Of the Kingdom of God by Nature
- Of the Principles of Christian Politics
- Of the Number, Antiquity, Scope, Authority, and Interpreters of the Books of Holy Scripture
- Of the Signification of Spirit, Angel, and Inspiration in the Books of Holy Scripture
- Of the Signification in Scripture of the Kingdom of God, of Holy, Sacred, and Sacrament
- Of the Word of God and of Prophets
- Of Miracles and Their Use
- Of the Signification in Scripture of Eternal Life, Hell, Salvation, the World to Come, and Redemption
- Of the Signification in Scripture of the Word Church
- Of the Rights of the Kingdom of God in Abraham, Moses, the High Priests, and the Kings of Judah
- Of the Office of Our Blessed Saviour
- Of Power Ecclesiastical
- Of What Is Necessary for a Man's Reception into the Kingdom of Heaven
- Of Spiritual Darkness from Misinterpretation of Scripture
- Of Demonology and Other Relics of the Religion of the Gentiles
- Of Darkness from Vain Philosophy and Fabulous Traditions, and
- Of the Benefit That Proceeds from Such Darkness, and to Whom It Accrues.
How many pages are in Leviathan?
Leviathan has approximately 736 pages.
When was Leviathan published?
Leviathan was published in 1651.
What to read after Leviathan?
If you're wondering what to read next after Leviathan, here are some recommendations we suggest:
- Meditations on First Philosophy by René Descartes
- Politics by Aristotle
- Second Treatise of the Government by John Locke
- The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli
- How to Be a Leader by Plutarch
- The Social Contract by Jean-Jacques Rousseau
- Madness and Civilization by Michel Foucault
- Fascism by Madeleine Albright
- The Republic by Plato
- Homo Deus by Yuval Noah Harari