Overview

Thomas Hobbes is without doubt one of the most important figures in the history of political philosophy and this module offers the opportunity to examine Hobbes’s political and religious ideas in detail. We shall be considering Hobbes’s views on power, conflict, sovereignty and religion as they are articulated in his political works (The Elements of Law, De cive, Leviathan and Behemoth), as well looking at the relationship between Hobbes’s political ideas and his wider philosophical project. Students taking the module are encouraged to think about the relevance of Hobbes’s ideas today.

Convenor: Dr Jon Parkin

Autumn Term

Module guide

• Thomas Hobbes in Context (PDF , 151kb)

Resources

• Thomas Hobbes in Context: Thomas Hobbes and the Problem of Self-Censorship (PDF , 92kb)
• Thomas Hobbes in Context: Toleration or Education - Hobbes's Project in the Later 1660s (PDF , 90kb)