Leviathan

Leviathan

by

Thomas Hobbes

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Aristotle Character Analysis

Aristotle was an ancient Greek philosopher from the fourth century BCE. Hobbes frequently refers to Aristotle in Leviathan and attempts to discount several of his theories. Hobbes’s main disagreement with Aristotle is Aristotle’s philosophy of objects and the human senses. According to Aristotle, objects have an essence, or fancy, and that essence works on any one of the human senses to create a perception, or representation of said object. Hobbes is a materialist and fundamentally disagrees with Aristotle’s concept of essences. For Hobbes, an object is perceived when the object itself—not the object’s so-called essence or fancy—comes into direct contact with the human sense organs. Hobbes argues that the Christian belief in incorporeal bodies and substances, which he contends is contradictory nonsense, is rooted in Aristotle’s philosophy and the fancy of objects, and Hobbes hopes to correct this absurdity through Leviathan. Hobbes also disagrees with Aristotle’s view of humankind in nature. While Aristotle argues that people are naturally social and helpful, Hobbes sees humankind in nature as naturally antisocial and violent. Perhaps most damaging, according to Hobbes, is Aristotle’s opinion of common-wealths. Aristotle argues that a democracy is the best kind of common-wealth, and he claims that a monarchy is synonymous with tyranny. Hobbes, of course, disagrees and argues instead that a monarchy is best and that a democratic assembly can be tyrannical just as easily as a monarch can.

Aristotle Quotes in Leviathan

The Leviathan quotes below are all either spoken by Aristotle or refer to Aristotle. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Nature, War, and Civil Society   Theme Icon
).
Chapter 1 Quotes

Yet still the object is one thing, the image or fancy is another. So that Sense in all cases, is nothing els but originall fancy, caused (as I have said) by the pressure, that is, by the motion, of externall things upon our Eyes, Eares, and other organs thereunto ordained.

Related Characters: Thomas Hobbes (speaker), Aristotle
Page Number: 86
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 2 Quotes

For my part, when I consider, that in Dreams, I do not often, nor constantly think of the same Persons, Places, Objects, and Actions that I do waking; nor remember so long a trayne of coherent thoughts, Dreaming, as at other times; And because waking I often observe the absurdity of Dreames, but never dream of the absurdities of my waking Thoughts; I am well satisfied, that being awake, I know I dreame not; though when I dreame, I think my selfe awake.

Related Characters: Thomas Hobbes (speaker), Aristotle
Page Number: 90
Explanation and Analysis:

From this ignorance of how to distinguish Dreams, and other strong Fancies, from Vision and Sense, did arise the greatest part of the Religion of the Gentiles in time past, that worshipped Satyres, Fawnes, Nymphs, and the like; and now adayes the opinion that rude people have Fayries, Ghosts, and Goblins; […] And for Fayries, and walking Ghosts, the opinion of them has I think been on purpose, either taught, or not confuted, to keep in credit the use of Exorcisme, of Crosses, of holy Water, and other such inventions of Ghostly men.

Related Characters: Thomas Hobbes (speaker), Aristotle
Page Number: 92
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 4 Quotes

Another, when men make a name of two Names, whose significations are contradictory and inconsistent; as this name, an incorporeall body, or (which is all one) an incorporeall substance, and a great number more. For whensoever any affirmation is false, the two names of which it is composed, put together and made one, signifie nothing at all.

Related Characters: Thomas Hobbes (speaker), Aristotle, God
Related Literary Devices:
Page Number: 108
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 13 Quotes

Whatsoever therefore is consequent to a time of Warre, where every man is Enemy to every man; the same is consequent to the time, wherein men live without other security, than what their own strength, and their own invention shall furnish from withal. In such a condition, there is no place for industry; because the fruit thereof is uncertain: and consequently no Culture of the Earth; […] no Knowledge of the face of the Earth; no account of Time; no Arts; no Letters; no Society; and which is worst of all, continuall feare, and danger of violent death; And the life of man, solitary, poore, nasty, brutish, and short.

Related Characters: Thomas Hobbes (speaker), Aristotle
Page Number: 186
Explanation and Analysis:
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Aristotle Quotes in Leviathan

The Leviathan quotes below are all either spoken by Aristotle or refer to Aristotle. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Nature, War, and Civil Society   Theme Icon
).
Chapter 1 Quotes

Yet still the object is one thing, the image or fancy is another. So that Sense in all cases, is nothing els but originall fancy, caused (as I have said) by the pressure, that is, by the motion, of externall things upon our Eyes, Eares, and other organs thereunto ordained.

Related Characters: Thomas Hobbes (speaker), Aristotle
Page Number: 86
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 2 Quotes

For my part, when I consider, that in Dreams, I do not often, nor constantly think of the same Persons, Places, Objects, and Actions that I do waking; nor remember so long a trayne of coherent thoughts, Dreaming, as at other times; And because waking I often observe the absurdity of Dreames, but never dream of the absurdities of my waking Thoughts; I am well satisfied, that being awake, I know I dreame not; though when I dreame, I think my selfe awake.

Related Characters: Thomas Hobbes (speaker), Aristotle
Page Number: 90
Explanation and Analysis:

From this ignorance of how to distinguish Dreams, and other strong Fancies, from Vision and Sense, did arise the greatest part of the Religion of the Gentiles in time past, that worshipped Satyres, Fawnes, Nymphs, and the like; and now adayes the opinion that rude people have Fayries, Ghosts, and Goblins; […] And for Fayries, and walking Ghosts, the opinion of them has I think been on purpose, either taught, or not confuted, to keep in credit the use of Exorcisme, of Crosses, of holy Water, and other such inventions of Ghostly men.

Related Characters: Thomas Hobbes (speaker), Aristotle
Page Number: 92
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 4 Quotes

Another, when men make a name of two Names, whose significations are contradictory and inconsistent; as this name, an incorporeall body, or (which is all one) an incorporeall substance, and a great number more. For whensoever any affirmation is false, the two names of which it is composed, put together and made one, signifie nothing at all.

Related Characters: Thomas Hobbes (speaker), Aristotle, God
Related Literary Devices:
Page Number: 108
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 13 Quotes

Whatsoever therefore is consequent to a time of Warre, where every man is Enemy to every man; the same is consequent to the time, wherein men live without other security, than what their own strength, and their own invention shall furnish from withal. In such a condition, there is no place for industry; because the fruit thereof is uncertain: and consequently no Culture of the Earth; […] no Knowledge of the face of the Earth; no account of Time; no Arts; no Letters; no Society; and which is worst of all, continuall feare, and danger of violent death; And the life of man, solitary, poore, nasty, brutish, and short.

Related Characters: Thomas Hobbes (speaker), Aristotle
Page Number: 186
Explanation and Analysis: