ORIGEM DAS PAIXÕES EM THOMAS HOBBES

  • Rafael Ludwig FURB

Abstract

The text analyzes the political thought of Thomas Hobbes, centered on his work Leviathan, addressing the transition of man from the state of nature to the civil state. Hobbes describes human nature as rational, yet dominated by passions and incessant desires for power, which, in the absence of laws, generates a war of all against all. In this state of nature, marked by the equality of capacities and absolute freedom, insecurity, the fear of violent death, and the non-existence of notions of justice or property prevail. The author argues that, man being "man's wolf", life becomes miserable and unsustainable. Consequently, guided by reason and the need for self-preservation, individuals decide to relinquish their unlimited freedom through a social contract. This is how the civil state (the Leviathan) is instituted—a sovereign and coercive power indispensable for curbing selfish instincts, ensuring peace, and securing the social coexistence that human nature, in isolation, does not permit.

Published
2025-12-19
Section
Ciências Humanas