Thomas Hobbes Quotes - BrainyQuote

English - Philosopher April 5, 1588 - December 4, 1679

During the time men live without a common power to keep them all in awe, they are in that conditions called war; and such a war, as if of every man, against every man.

Time War Man Power

The condition of man... is a condition of war of everyone against everyone.

War Man Everyone Against Condition

There is no such thing as perpetual tranquillity of mind while we live here; because life itself is but motion, and can never be without desire, nor without fear, no more than without sense.

Life Fear Mind Live

Such is the nature of men, that howsoever they may acknowledge many others to be more witty, or more eloquent, or more learned; yet they will hardly believe there be many so wise as themselves.

Nature Believe Men Wise

No man's error becomes his own Law; nor obliges him to persist in it.

Man Law Own Him

The right of nature... is the liberty each man hath to use his own power, as he will himself, for the preservation of his own nature; that is to say, of his own life.

Life Nature Man Power

Curiosity is the lust of the mind.

Mind Curiosity Lust

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.

Power Long He Than

I am about to take my last voyage, a great leap in the dark.

I Am Great Dark Leap

He that is taken and put into prison or chains is not conquered, though overcome; for he is still an enemy.

Enemy Prison Chains He

Top 10
Thomas Hobbes
Quotes

I put for the general inclination of all mankind, a perpetual and restless desire of power after power, that ceaseth only in death.

Death Power Desire Only

In the state of nature profit is the measure of right.

Nature Right Measure Profit

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.

Alone Future Mind Past

The privilege of absurdity; to which no living creature is subject, but man only.

Man Only Living Privilege

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.

Death War Man World

A man's conscience and his judgment is the same thing; and as the judgment, so also the conscience, may be erroneous.

Man Conscience Judgment May

Understanding is nothing else than conception caused by speech.

Understanding Nothing Speech Than

Fear of things invisible in the natural seed of that which everyone in himself calleth religion.

Religion Fear Things Seed

War consisteth not in battle only, or the act of fighting; but in a tract of time, wherein the will to contend by battle is sufficiently known.

Time War Fighting Battle

Not believing in force is the same as not believing in gravitation.

Force Believing Same Gravitation

The Papacy is not other than the Ghost of the deceased Roman Empire, sitting crowned upon the grave thereof.

Sitting Than Ghost Empire

Prudence is but experience, which equal time, equally bestows on all men, in those things they equally apply themselves unto.

Time Experience Men Things

Sudden glory is the passion which maketh those grimaces called laughter.

Passion Laughter Glory Those

The secret thoughts of a man run over all things, holy, profane, clean, obscene, grave, and light, without shame or blame.

Thoughts Light Man Blame

It is not wisdom but Authority that makes a law.

Wisdom Legal Law Authority Makes

A wise man should so write (though in words understood by all men) that wise men only should be able to commend him.

Man Men Wise Wise Man

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