Leviathan

Thomas Hobbes’ Leviathan is arguably the greatest piece of political philosophy written in the English language. Written in a time of great political turmoil (Hobbes’ life spanned the reign of Charles I, the Civil Wars, the Commonwealth and the Protectorate, and the Restoration), Leviathan is an argument for obedience to authority grounded in an analysis of human nature. Since its first publication in 1991 Richard Tuck’s edition of Leviathan has been recognised as the single most accurate and authoritative text, and for this revised edition Professor Tuck has provided a much amplified and expanded introduction, which will provide students unfamiliar with Hobbes with a cogent and accessible introduction to this most challenging of texts. Other vital aids to study include an extensive guide to further reading, a note on textual matters, a chronology of important events and brief biographies of important persons mentioned in Hobbes’ text.

• This is probably the greatest work of political philosophy in English • Ours is the single most authoritative text available; over 22,000 copies of the first edition were sold. It is also the most accessible for students • It is edited by one of the most renowned Hobbes scholars in the world, newly appointed to a chair at Harvard University

Acknowledgements; Introduction; A note on the text; Principal events in Hobbes’ life; Further reading; Biographical synopses; Leviathan; The Epistle Dedicatory; The contents of the chapters; The introduction; The text: Chapters 1-47; A review and conclusion; Indexes.