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Leviathan
Thomas Hobbes (1588–1679)
53 chapters and parts · about 18 hours to read
What the book is about
"Leviathan" by Thomas Hobbes is a philosophical treatise published in 1651. Written during the English Civil War, it explores the structure of society and legitimate government through social contract theory. Hobbes argues that humanity's natural state is a brutal "war of all against all," driven by individual appetites and the fear of violent death. Only a strong, absolute sovereign can prevent civil war and chaos by uniting both secular and spiritual power. This influential work presents a materialistic view of human nature and political order.
This summary comes from the Project Gutenberg catalogue, where it was written automatically.
- Political science -- Early works to 1800
- State, The -- Early works to 1800
Chapters
- Opening pagesabout 5 minutes
- Introductionabout 6 minutes
- Part I: Of Man · Chapter IOf Senseabout 3 minutes
- Part I: Of Man · Chapter IIOf Imaginationabout 11 minutes
- Part I: Of Man · Chapter IIIOf the Consequence or Trayne of Imaginationsabout 9 minutes
- Part I: Of Man · Chapter IVOf Speechabout 16 minutes
- Part I: Of Man · Chapter VOf Reason, and Scienceabout 13 minutes
- Part I: Of Man · Chapter VIOf the Interiour Beginnings of Voluntary Motionsabout 18 minutes
- Part I: Of Man · Chapter VIIOf the Ends or Resolutions of Discourseabout 6 minutes
- Part I: Of Man · Chapter VIIIOf the Vertues Commonly Called Intellectual; and Their Contrary Defectsabout 21 minutes
- Part I: Of Man · Chapter IXOf the Severall Subjects of Knowledgeabout 3 minutes
- Part I: Of Man · Chapter XOf Power, Worth, Dignity, Honour and Worthinessabout 15 minutes
- Part I: Of Man · Chapter XIOf the Difference of Mannersabout 14 minutes
- Part I: Of Man · Chapter XIIOf Religionabout 23 minutes
- Part I: Of Man · Chapter XIIIOf the Naturall Condition of Mankind,about 9 minutes
- Part I: Of Man · Chapter XIVOf the First and Second Naturall Lawes, and of Contractsabout 22 minutes
- Part I: Of Man · Chapter XVOf Other Lawes of Natureabout 26 minutes
- Part I: Of Man · Chapter XVIOf Persons, Authors, and Things Personatedabout 8 minutes
- Part II: Of Common-Wealth · Chapter XVIIOf the Causes, Generation, and Definition of a Common-Wealthabout 9 minutes
- Part II: Of Common-Wealth · Chapter XVIIIOf the Rights of Soveraignes by Institutionabout 18 minutes
- Part II: Of Common-Wealth · Chapter XIXOf the Severall Kinds of Common-Wealth by Institution, and of Succession to the Soveraigne Powerabout 20 minutes
- Part II: Of Common-Wealth · Chapter XXOf Dominion Paternall and Despoticallabout 17 minutes
- Part II: Of Common-Wealth · Chapter XXIOf the Liberty of Subjectsabout 21 minutes
- Part II: Of Common-Wealth · Chapter XXIIOf Systemes Subject, Politicall, and Privateabout 24 minutes
- Part II: Of Common-Wealth · Chapter XXIIIOf the Publique Ministers of Soveraign Powerabout 9 minutes
- Part II: Of Common-Wealth · Chapter XXIVOf the Nutrition, and Procreation of a Common-Wealthabout 12 minutes
- Part II: Of Common-Wealth · Chapter XXVOf Counsellabout 15 minutes
- Part II: Of Common-Wealth · Chapter XXVIOf CIVILL Lawesabout 40 minutes
- Part II: Of Common-Wealth · Chapter XXVIIOf Crimes, Excuses, and Extenuationsabout 29 minutes
- Part II: Of Common-Wealth · Chapter XXVIIIOf Punishments, and Rewardsabout 16 minutes
Show all 53 chapters and parts
- Part II: Of Common-Wealth · Chapter XXIXOf Those Things That Weaken, or Tend to the Dissolution of a Common-Wealthabout 20 minutes
- Part II: Of Common-Wealth · Chapter XXXOf the Office of the Soveraign Representativeabout 31 minutes
- Part II: Of Common-Wealth · Chapter XXXIOf the Kingdome of God by Natureabout 21 minutes
- Part III: Of a Christian Common-Wealth · Chapter XXXIIOf the Principles of Christian Politiquesabout 10 minutes
- Part III: Of a Christian Common-Wealth · Chapter XXXIIIOf the Number, Antiquity, Scope, Authority, and Interpreters of the Books of Holy Scriptureabout 21 minutes
- Part III: Of a Christian Common-Wealth · Chapter XXXIVOf the Signification of Spirit, Angel, and Inspiration in the Books of Holy Scriptureabout 24 minutes
- Part III: Of a Christian Common-Wealth · Chapter XXXVOf the Signification in Scripture of Kingdome of God, of Holy, Sacred, and Sacramentabout 15 minutes
- Part III: Of a Christian Common-Wealth · Chapter XXXVIOf the Word of God, and of Prophetsabout 31 minutes
- Part III: Of a Christian Common-Wealth · Chapter XXXVIIOf Miracles, and Their Useabout 15 minutes
- Part III: Of a Christian Common-Wealth · Chapter XXXVIIIOf the Signification in Scripture of Eternall Life, Hell, Salvation, the World to Come, and Redemptionabout 31 minutes
- Part III: Of a Christian Common-Wealth · Chapter XXXIXOf the Signification in Scripture of the Word Churchabout 26 minutes
- Part III: Of a Christian Common-Wealth · Chapter XLIOf the Office of Our Blessed Saviourabout 16 minutes
- Part III: Of a Christian Common-Wealth · Chapter XLIIOf Power Ecclesiasticall (part 1 of 5)about 32 minutes
- Part III: Of a Christian Common-Wealth · Chapter XLIIOf Power Ecclesiasticall (part 2 of 5)about 30 minutes
- Part III: Of a Christian Common-Wealth · Chapter XLIIOf Power Ecclesiasticall (part 3 of 5)about 30 minutes
- Part III: Of a Christian Common-Wealth · Chapter XLIIOf Power Ecclesiasticall (part 4 of 5)about 30 minutes
- Part III: Of a Christian Common-Wealth · Chapter XLIIOf Power Ecclesiasticall (part 5 of 5)about 27 minutes
- Part III: Of a Christian Common-Wealth · Chapter XLIIIOf What Is Necessary for a Mans Reception into the Kingdome of Heavenabout 30 minutes
- Part IV: Of the Kingdome of Darknesse · Chapter XLIVOf Spirituall Darknesse from Misinterpretation of Scripture (part 1 of 2)about 26 minutes
- Part IV: Of the Kingdome of Darknesse · Chapter XLIVOf Spirituall Darknesse from Misinterpretation of Scripture (part 2 of 2)about 26 minutes
- Part IV: Of the Kingdome of Darknesse · Chapter XLVOf Daemonology, and Other Reliques of the Religion of the Gentilesabout 41 minutes
- Part IV: Of the Kingdome of Darknesse · Chapter XLVIOf Darknesse from Vain Philosophy, and Fabulous Traditionsabout 36 minutes
- Part IV: Of the Kingdome of Darknesse · Chapter XLVIIOf the Benefit That Proceedeth from Such Darknesse, and to Whom It Accrewethabout 37 minutes
Leviathan, by Thomas Hobbes, is in the public domain in the United States. Text from Project Gutenberg, eBook #3207, with thanks. Sureno removed Project Gutenberg's header and licence and set the text in large print; this is not an official Project Gutenberg edition. Outside the United States, check your own country's copyright rules before copying it.
