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Hobbes's On the Citizen

Hobbes's <I>On the Citizen</I>

Hobbes's <I>On the Citizen</I>

A Critical Guide
Robin Douglass, King's College London
Johan Olsthoorn, Universiteit van Amsterdam
October 2021
Available
Paperback
9781108434447

    This is the first book-length study in English of Thomas Hobbes's On the Citizen. It aims to show that On the Citizen is a valuable and distinctive philosophical work in its own right, and not merely a stepping-stone toward the more famous Leviathan. The volume comprises twelve original essays, written by leading Hobbes scholars, which explore the most important themes of the text: Hobbes's accounts of human nature, moral motivation, and political obligation; his theories of property, sovereignty, and the state; and, finally, his ideas on the relation between secular and ecclesiastical authority, and the politics behind his religious ideas. Taken together, the essays bring to light many distinctive aspects of Hobbes's thought that are often concealed by the prevailing focus on Leviathan, making for a richer and more nuanced picture of his moral, legal, and political philosophy.

    • Contains original insights into the key themes of Hobbes's text and its relationship with the better-known Leviathan
    • Adopts an interdisciplinary approach, bringing together perspectives from history, philosophy, law and political theory
    • Allows for a better understanding of the way Hobbes's ideas were received

    Reviews & endorsements

    'Douglass and Olsthoorn, and the authors they have brought together, have done Hobbes scholars a tremendous service with this excellent collection of essays focussed specifically on Hobbes's De Cive – not as a precursor to Leviathan, but on its own terms.' Arash Abizadeh, McGill University, Montreal

    'I recommend it for Hobbes scholars and those interested in early modern political philosophy more broadly. Scholars newer to these discussions will also find many articles worth the investment of their time.' Daniel Collette, Journal of the History of Philosophy

    See more reviews

    Product details

    October 2021
    Paperback
    9781108434447
    264 pages
    229 × 152 × 14 mm
    0.361kg
    1 b/w illus. 2 tables
    Available

    Table of Contents

    • Introduction Robin Douglass and Johan Olsthoorn
    • 1. Excavating On the Citizen Deborah Baumgold and Ryan Harding
    • 2. Hobbes and Aristotle on the foundation of political science Nicholas Gooding and Kinch Hoekstra
    • 3. All the mind's pleasure: glory, self-admiration, and moral motivation in On the Citizen and Leviathan S. A. Lloyd
    • 4. The right of nature and political disobedience: Hobbes's puzzling thought experiment Susanne Sreedhar
    • 5. Motivation, reason, and the good in On the Citizen Michael LeBuffe
    • 6. Property and despotic sovereignty Laurens van Apeldoorn
    • 7. Sovereignty and dominium: the foundations of Hobbesian statehood Daniel Lee
    • 8. Corporate persons without authorization Michael J. Green
    • 9. Hobbes on love and fear of God Thomas Holden
    • 10. 'A rhapsody of heresies': the scriptural politics of On the Citizen Alison McQueen
    • 11. On the Citizen and church-state relations Johann Sommerville
    • 12. Sovereign-making and biblical covenants in On the Citizen A. P. Martinich.
      Contributors
    • Robin Douglass, Johan Olsthoorn, Deborah Baumgold, Ryan Harding, Nicholas Gooding, Kinch Hoekstra, S. A. Lloyd, Susanne Sreedhar, Michael LeBuffe, Laurens van Apeldoorn, Daniel Lee, Michael J. Green, Thomas Holden, Alison McQueen, Johann Sommerville, A. P. Martinich

    • Editors
    • Robin Douglass , King's College London

      Robin Douglass is Reader in Political Theory at King's College London.

    • Johan Olsthoorn , Universiteit van Amsterdam

      Johan Olsthoorn is Assistant Professor in Political Theory at the Universiteit van Amsterdam and is a Postdoctoral Fellow of the Research Foundation (FWO)-Flanders at Katholieke Universiteit Leuven.