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Government is necessary, not because man is naturally bad... but because man is by nature more individualistic than social.

Thomas Hobbes

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Thomas Hobbes
Age: 91 †
Born: 1588
Born: April 5
Died: 1679
Died: December 4
Economist
Historian
Mathematician
Philosopher
Political Scientist
Politician
Translator
Westport
Wiltshire
Hobbes
Thomas Hobbsted
Thomas Hobbes of Malflutry
Nature
Government
Men
Individualistic
Naturally
Necessary
Social

More quotes by Thomas Hobbes

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The first author of speech was God himself, that instructed Adam how to name such creatures as He presented to his sight.
Thomas Hobbes
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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
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No Discourse whatsoever, can End in absolute Knowledge of Fact.
Thomas Hobbes
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The obligation of subjects to the sovereign is understood to last as long, and no longer, than the power lasteth by which he is able to protect them.
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The source of every crime, is some defect of the understanding or some error in reasoning or some sudden force of the passions. Defect in the understanding is ignorance in reasoning, erroneous opinion.
Thomas Hobbes
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When all the world is overcharged with inhabitants, then the last remedy of all is war, which provideth for every man, by victory or death.
Thomas Hobbes
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This is that law of the Gospel whatsoever you require that others should do to you, that do ye to them.
Thomas Hobbes
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For if all things were equally in all men, nothing would be prized.
Thomas Hobbes
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A democracy is no more than an aristocracy of orators. The people are so readily moved by demagogues that control must be exercised by the government over speech and press.
Thomas Hobbes
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All generous minds have a horror of what are commonly called 'Facts'. They are the brute beasts of the intellectual domain.
Thomas Hobbes
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To be seduced by Orators, as a Monarch by Flatterers.
Thomas Hobbes
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By consequence, or train of thoughts, I understand that succession of one thought to another which is called, to distinguish it from discourse in words, mental discourse. When a man thinketh on anything whatsoever, his next thought after is not altogether so casual as it seems to be. Not every thought to every thought succeeds indifferently.
Thomas Hobbes
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If nobody makes you do it, it counts as fun.
Thomas Hobbes
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He that is taken and put into prison or chains is not conquered, though overcome for he is still an enemy.
Thomas Hobbes
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Such truth, as opposeth no man's profit, nor pleasure, is to all men welcome.
Thomas Hobbes
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The flesh endures the storms of the present alone the mind, those of the past and future as well as the present. Gluttony is a lust of the mind.
Thomas Hobbes
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Seeing then that truth consisteth in the right ordering of names in our affirmations, a man that seeketh precise truth, had need to remember what every name he uses stands for and to place it accordingly or else he will find himself entangled in words, as a bird in lime-twigs the more he struggles, the more belimed.
Thomas Hobbes
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Intemperance is naturally punished with diseases rashness, with mischance injustice with violence of enemies pride, with ruin cowardice, with oppression and rebellion, with slaughter.
Thomas Hobbes
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In sum, all actions and habits are to be esteemed good or evil by their causes and usefulness in reference to the commonwealth, and not by their mediocrity, nor by their being commended. For several men praise several customs, and, contrarily, what one calls vice, another calls virtue, as their present affections lead them.
Thomas Hobbes
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Curiosity is the lust of the mind.
Thomas Hobbes