Summary
Hobbes argues that the creation of a "Mortall God," the Commonwealth (Civitas) or Leviathan, is the only way to ensure peace and safety. This is achieved by individuals mutually covenanting to submit their wills and judgments to a single Sovereign, who then wields their collective power to maintain order and defend against external threats. This artificial man, built by art, possesses an artificial soul (sovereignty) and is animated by reward and punishment, akin to nerves and tendons.
The book defines the Commonwealth as a single person, authorized by the covenants of a multitude, to use their combined strength as they see fit for peace and common defense. This Sovereign power can be attained through natural force or voluntary agreement, based on confidence in protection. The Leviathan is essential for the protection and defense of the people, acting as an artificial body with a sovereign soul.
Key concepts
- Common-Wealth (Civitas) — An artificial man, created by art, whose sovereignty is the artificial soul giving life and motion to the whole body, for the protection and defense of the people.
- Leviathan — A "Mortall God" to whom people owe their peace and defence, created by a multitude uniting in one person through covenant.
- Sovereign — The person who carries the representative person of the Commonwealth and holds sovereign power, to which every other person is a subject.
- Covenant — An agreement made by every man with every man, authorizing and giving up their right of governing themselves to a Sovereign.
- Artificiall Man — The Commonwealth itself, a construct of art that imitates nature's man but is of greater stature and strength for human protection.
From the book
(Math. 8.26.) to have rebuked the winds? Is not he said also (Luk. 4. 39.) to rebuke a Fever? Yet this does not argue that a Fever is a Divel. And whereas many of these Divels are said to confesse Christ; it is not
Magni-tude, Quali-ty, Corruptibili-ty, all which are incorporeall, &c. go out of the Wafer, into the Body of our blessed Saviour, do they not
The Register of Knowledge Of Fact is called History. Whereof there be