Leviathan Terms

An author is whoever owns the actions of any one person. Inanimate objects cannot be authors, nor can those lacking natural reason, like “Children, Fooles, or Mad-men.” There are two kinds of authors: those who… read analysis of Author

A common-wealth is any number of people united under a single sovereign power, in which the people, or subjects, forfeit their right to self-preservation and place it in a person or group of people… read analysis of Common-wealth

To consecrate something is to “Offer, Give, or Dedicate” an object for some religious or holy practice. But consecration in Holy Scripture is often confused with conjuration, especially in Catholicism, in which consecration is specifically… read analysis of Consecration

A covenant is a contract that is entered into willingly by at least two parties. Every covenant is made in the eyes of God, and, according to the Laws of Nature, every covenant… read analysis of Covenant

Discourse can be generally understood as the language employed to express a certain topic or debate. Human thoughts that remain within the mind are known as mental discourse, and that which is spoken is known… read analysis of Discourse

Dreams are imagination during sleep, which are constituted, either in whole or in part, from past perceptions and experience. Fearful dreams come from fearful objects, and the emotions and passions experienced in dreams can… read analysis of Dreams

Experience is the accumulation of sense perceptions that exist in any one person’s memory. People with the most experience are often those with the most prudence, since they know the “most Signes [… read analysis of Experience

The term “fancy,” as Hobbes uses it, is best understood in context with the philosophy of Aristotle. According to Aristotle, objects have an essence, or “fancy,” which sends a “visible species” to… read analysis of Fancy

Hobbes defines a Gentile as someone from ancient Greek or Roman society, in which numerous gods, demigods, and deities were worshipped. The Gentiles did not, for the most part, know of the natural causes of… read analysis of Gentile

Idolatry is worshipping or honoring an image as if that image is a body with a soul. If a subject bows before a king in civil worship and recognizes the power that king has a… read analysis of Idolatry

Imagination is the image of an object that is retained in the mind, and these retained images were known to the ancient Greeks as fancy. According to Hobbes, imagination is the foundation of… read analysis of Imagination

The Laws of Nature are agreements or covenants that people are drawn to in order to ensure peace and avoid war. The Laws of Nature are God-given and are revealed through one’s natural ability… read analysis of The Laws of Nature

Hobbes defines a martyr as someone who witnessed the Resurrection of Christ—not someone who dies in the name of some religious cause. The confusion as to who, and what, a martyr is exactly is… read analysis of Martyr

Memory is the “decaying sense” of imagination. When the image of an object is retained in one’s imagination, that image begins to decay and degrade over time in one’s memory. Memory and imagination are… read analysis of Memory

A miracle is a rare event that has no natural cause. What one person considers a miracle is not always a miracle to the next person. For instance, early human beings thought rainbows and eclipses… read analysis of Miracle

Passions are the emotions of human beings. Different people feel different passions, and different passions come from different experiences and different levels of education. Too much passion is known as madness, and passions that predispose… read analysis of Passions

A prophet is someone who speaks the words of God, like Moses, Samuel, or Isaiah. According to Hobbes, a “true prophet” can be known by two marks: they must perform… read analysis of Prophet

Prudence, also known as wisdom, is the assumption that “like events will follow like actions.” In short, prudence is the presumption of future events based on past experience, and when it is applied to… read analysis of Prudence

Punishment is “an Evill inflicted by publique Authority” on one who has broken the law and gone before a judge. The right to punish subjects comes from the covenant of the common-wealth, which imbues… read analysis of Punishment

Science is “the knowledge of Consequences” and is the “true Mother” of the arts and philosophy, mostly mathematics. However, since science is brought to light by the imagination of another, it has very little power… read analysis of Science

A sign is the consequence of an action that was previously observed. Signs that are less observed are less certain than those signs that are observed all the time. Prudence is the presumption of future… read analysis of Sign

A sovereign is the central power of a common-wealth. A sovereign power can be either a single person, as it is in a monarchy, or it can be an assembly of people, as it… read analysis of Sovereign

A subject is a person within a common-wealth, who willingly forfeits their right to self-preservation to a sovereign power through a covenant. Once a subject enters into a covenant and agrees to join… read analysis of Subject

Transubstantiation is the Christian (and especially Catholic) belief that bread and wine can be transformed into the body and blood of Christ through incantation. According to Hobbes, the practice of transubstantiation is absurd and… read analysis of Transubstantiation

War, according to Hobbes, is battle and the intention or desire for battle. People living outside a common sovereign power are in a constant state of war, and this state of war includes every… read analysis of War