CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY STEPHEN E. WHICHER MEMORIAL BOOK COLLECTION Gift of MRS. ELIZABETH T. WHICHER UNDERGRADUATE LIBRARY Cornell University Library B 1205.C15 1913 The metaphysical system of Hobbes :in tw 3 1924 014 604 007 The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924014604007 THE Metaphysical System of Hobbes IN » Twelve Chapters From ELEMENTS OF PHILOSOPHY CON- CERNING BODY Together With Briefer Extracts From HUMAN NATURE and LEVIATHAN SELECTED BY MARY WHITON CALKINS " The world ( I mean . • the whole mass of all things that are), is corporeal, that is to say, body; . . and that which is not body is no part of the universe." SECOND EDITION CHICAGO THE OPEN COURT PUBLISHING COMPANY 1913 Copyright 1905 BY THE OPEN COURT PUBLISHING CO. Chicago PREFACE. This condensation of the English version of Hobbes's book Concerning Body has been made, because the work is the completest summary of the metaphysical teaching of Hobbes and because there exists no inex- pensive reprint or compendium of it. The ethical and social doctrines of Hobbes may be readily studied at first hand, by the aid of modern editions of the Le- viathan or of volumes of selections from the writings of Hobbes; but for his strictly metaphysical teaching one must now have recourse to the volumes of the Molesworth edition. Teachers of modern philosophy who believe, with the writer, that the study of original texts is of incomparable value to the student must have been puzzled in their efforts to be just to the claims of materialism. Convenient expositions of idealism are readily found in the editions of Berkeley's Principles and Dialogues. But no historically important sum- mary of materialistic- doctrine has, so far, been accessi- ble. This volume aims to supply the need and also to give an adequate impression of the Elements of Phi- losophy Concerning Body. To gain the latter end, chapters have been included from all four Parts of the work, and the headings of omitted chapters have been printed in full. To represent adequately the doctrine of Hobbes, it has been necessary to add to the formula- tion of materialism, as contained in the Concerning Body, (i) the argument for materialism, from the iii iv PREFACE. alleged unreality of consciousness, as it appears in chapter II. of Human Nature; and (2) the corollary from materialism, the teaching that spirit is a form of body, from the later chapters of Leviathan. The only portions of this volume which duplicate recent reprints from Hobbes are chapters I, 6, 25, and a few scattered passages from Concerning Body, chap- ter 2 of Human Nature, and the brief selections from Leviathan. The text is that of MoleswOrth who, save in the case of capitals and of spelling, follows the early editions. Four obvious misprints, including two misplaced Greek accents, have been changed. The extracts from the Latin work De Corpore, of which Concerning Body is a version, are offered in rec- ognition of the fact that Hobbes himself did not make the translation, and that the English version, spite of his revision, has not the authority of an original work. It is a pity not to reprint the Latin original, in place of the English version; but, unhappily, young American students either are not, or think that they are not, able to read Latin philosophical texts. By way of a slight protest against this form of academic illiteracy, no life of Hobbes is here printed save the autobiog- raphy, in Latin verse, written at the age of eighty-four by the vigorous old philosopher. Biographical and historical discussions will be found in the works by Robertson, Stephen and Sneath, quoted on page xxv., in the Bibliographical Note. For an exposition of the philosophy of Hobbes, all readers are referred to Hobbes himself. M. W. C. CONTENTS T. Hobbes Malmesburiensis Vita v Topical List of the Writings of Hobbes .... xvi Bibliographical Note xx Elements of Philosophy Concerning Body. Title Page Translator's Preface The Author's Epistle to the Reader PART FIRST OR LOGIC. Chap. I. — Of Philosophy . *Chap. II. — Of Names *Chap. III. — Of Proposition *Chap. IV.— Of Syllogism *Chap. V. — Of Erring, Falsity, and Captions Chap. VI.— Of Method PART SECOND, OR THE FIRST GROUNDS OF PHILOSOPHY. Chap. VII— Of Place and Time 4 Chap. VIII. — Of Body and Accident 5 Chap. IX.— Of Cause and Effect 6 Chap. X. — Of Power and Act 7 Chap. XL — Of Identity and Difference .... 8 Chap. XII.— Of Quantity i *Chap. XIII. — Of Analogism, or the Same Proportion - c. *Chap. XIV. — Of Strait and Crooked, Angle and Figure »,»> . . . 5 PART THIRD, OF THE PROPORTIONS OF MOTIONS AND MAGNITUDES. Chap. XV. — Of the Nature, Properties, and Divers Considerations of Motion and Endeavour . . c "Only the heading of this chapter is reproduced. V vi CONTENTS *Chap. XVI.— Of Motion Accelerated and Uniform, and of Motion by Concourse 106 *Chap. XVII.— Of Figures Deficient 106 ♦Chap. XVIII.— Of the Equation of Strait Lines with the Crooked Lines of Parabolas and other Fig- ures made in imitation of Parabolas .... 107 *Chap. XIX.— Of Angles of Incidence and Reflection, equal by Supposition . 108 *Chap. XX.— Of the Dimension of a Circle, and the Di- vision of Angles or Arches 109 *Chap. XXL— Of Circular Motion 109 *Chap. XXII.— Of other Variety of Motion .... no *Chap. XXIII. — Of the Centre of Equiponderation of Bodies pressing downwards in Strait Parallel Lines III *Chap. XXIV.— Of Refraction and Reflection . . 112 PART FOURTH, OR THE PHENOMENA OF NATURE. Chap. XXV. — Of Sense and Animal Motion . . . 113 ♦Chap. XXVI.— Of the World and of the Stars . . 134 Chap. XXVIL— Of Light, Heat, and of Colours . . 134 *Chap. XXVIII.— Of Cold, Wind, Hard, Ice, Restitu- tion of Bodies bent, Diaphanous, Lightning and Thunder, and of the Heads of Rivers .... 140 Chap. XXIX. — Of Sound, Odour, Savour, and Touch 141 Chap. XXX.— Of Gravity 153 The Doctrine of Hobbes Concerning the Unreality of Consciousness. . Human Nature — Chap. II 157 The Doctrine of Hobbes Concerning the Na- ture of Spirit and of God. Leviathan, Chap. XL (in part) 165 Chap. XII l6 6 Chap. XXXI. (in part) I7I Chap. XXXIV. (in part) I73 Selected Passages from De Corpore. - 183 •Only the heading of this chapter is reproduced. T. HOBBES MALMESB URIENSIS VITA, SCRIPTA ANNO MDCLXXII. Birth Natus erat noster servator Homo-Deus annos Mille et quingentos, octo quoque undecies. Stabat et Hispanis in portubus inclyta classis Hostilis, nostro mox peritura mari : Primo vere ; dies et quintus inibat Aprilis : Illo vermiculus tempore nascor ego, Birthplace l n Malmesburia ; baptisma a patre ministro Accepi, et nomen mi dedit ille suum. Oppidulum parvum est, habuit sed multa relatu Digna, atque imprimis coenobium celebre, Et castrum, melius nisi sint duo castra vocanda, Colle sita, et bino flumine cincta fere. Concilium regni binis burgensibus auget; Nunc quoque priscus honor permanet ille loci. Hie et Athelstani conduntur nobilis ossa, Atque super tumulum saxeus ipse jacet. Prasmia virtutis populo dedit ille, propinquos Sanguine Danorum qui madefecit agros : Study Hue et ab Aldhelmo deducta est musa Latina, Hie habuit primam lingua Latina scholam. Non est ut patriae pudeat ; sed tempus iniquum Conqueror, et mecum tot quoque nata mala. Fama ferebat enim diffusa per oppida nostra, Extremum genti classe venire diem. Atque metum tantum concepit tunc mea mater, Ut pareret geminos, meque metumque simul. Hinc est, ut credo, patrios quod abominor hos- tes, Pacem amo cum musis, et faciles socios. Disco loqui quatuor, totidem legere, et nume- rare, Non bene proeterea fingere literulas. VITA THO. HOBBES. Oxford Service of Duke of Devonshire Sex annis ad verba steti Graecae atque Latinae, Et deciirio quarto mittor ad Oxonium. Hue Magdalenae veniens admittor in aulam, Inque ima logicae classe locatus eram. Et praelectori cum primis sedulus adsum; Is licet imberbis cum gravitate legit, Barbara, celarent, darii, ferio, baralypton, Hos, dicebat, habet prima figura modos. Ccesare, camestres, festino, baroco, darapti, Haec etiam totidem stat variata modis. Felapton, disamis, datisi, bocardo, ferison, Sunt rursus totidem legitimique modi. Quos tarde disco, disco tamen, abjicioque, Admittorque meo quaeque probare modo. Admoveor physica?, conflataque cuncta magister Materia et forma, ut partibus, esse docet; Et species rerum, volitando per sera, formas Donare hinc oculis, auribus inde sonos. Multos effectus tribuit syn et antipathia?} Et supra captum talia multa meum. Ergo ad amoena magis me verto, librosque re- volvo, Queis prius instructus, non bene doctus eram. Pascebamque animum chartis imitantibus or- bem, Telluris faciem, et sydera picta videns : Gaudebam soli comes ire, et cernere cunctis Terricolis ustos qua facit arte dies. Quoque Dracus filo Neptunum, Candisiusque Cinxerunt medium.; quaeque adiere loca- Atque hominum exiguos, si possem, cernere nidos, Et picta ignotis monstra videre locis. Tempore sed justo cum Baccalaureus Artis Essem (namque hie est primus in arte gra- dus) Oxonium linquo, servitum me fero in amplam Gentis Candisiae conspicuamque domum; Rectorisque aulas commendat Epistola nostra:: Accipior, placita conditione steti: VITA THO. HOBBES. Study of classics Travel Atque adolescenti mox applicor ipse adolscens : Tunc patris imperio subditus ille fuit. Huic ego servivi bis denos gnaviter annos ; Non Dominus tantum, verum et amicus ^erat. Pars erat ilia meae multo dulcissima vita?, Et nunc saepe mihi somnia grata facit. Ille per hoc tempus mihi praebuit otia, libros Omnimodos studiis praebuit ille meis. Vertor ego ad nostras, ad Graecas, atque Latinas Historias; etiam carmina saepe lego. Flaccus, Virgilius, fuit et mihi notus Homerus, Euripides, Sophocles, Plautus, Aristophanes, Pluresque ; et multi Scriptores Historiarum : Sed mihi prae reliquis Thucydides placuit. Is Democratia ostendit mihi quam sit inepta, Et quantum ccetu plus sapit unus homo. Hunc ego scriptorem verti, qui diceret Anglis, Consultaturi rhetoras ut fugerent. Urbes externas eadem per tempora vidi, Germanas, Francas, Ausoniasque adii. Mox Dominum morbo devictum vita reliquit, Extremo (ut credas) sed reditura die. Ante tamen fecit mihi ne servire necesse Esset, qui modice vivere suetus eram. Deinde domo placita nimium neglectus abivi, Parisiisque moror mensibus octodecim. Inde mei Domini revocor praeceptor ut essem Nato ; Devoniae tunc Comes ille fuit. Hunc Romanarum sensus cognoscere vocum; Jungere quoque decet verba Latina modo ; Fallere quaque solent indoctos rhetores arte ; Quid facit orator, quidque poeta facit ; Et demonstrandi docui praecepta, globique Mundani faciem, multiplicesque gyros. Litibus et finem, faciunt quas plus, minus, et par, Qua posset usta ponere lege dedi. Haes ilium docui per septem sedulos annos; Ille celer didicit, retinuitque memor. VITA THO. HOBBBS. Second journey Study of physics Study of philosophy and psychology Nec tamen hoc terapus libris consumpsimus omne, Ni mundum libri dixeris esse loco. Italise multas, Gallorum et vidimus urbes; Secessus dulces vidimus Allobrogum. Ast ego perpetuo naturam cogito rerum, Seu rate, seu curru, sive ferebar equo. Et mihi visa quidem est toto res unica mundo Vera, licet multis falsificata modis: Unica vera quidem, sed quae sit basis earum Rerum, quas falso dicimus esse aliquid; Qualia somnus habet fugitiva, et qualia vitris Arbitrio possum multiplicare meo; Phantasiae, nostri soboles cerebri, nihil extra; Partibus internis nil nisi motus inest. Hinc est quod, physicam quisquis vult discere, motus Quid possit, debet perdidicisse prius. Ergo materiae motusque arcana reculudo; Sic tempus vacuum fallo per Italian). Scribo nihil, facio adversaria nulla, magistra Quae docuit, praesens nam mihi semper erat. Linquimus Italiam, rursusque redimus ad alta Moenia Lutetiae, tectaque magnifica. Hie ego Mersennum novi, communico et illi De rerum motu quae meditatus eram. Is probat, et multis commendat; tempore ab illo Inter philosophos et numerabar ego. In patriam rursus post menses octo reversus, De conectendis cogito notitiis. Motibus a variis feror ad rerum variarum Dissimiles species, materiaeque dolos ; Motusque internos hominum, cordisque late- bras; Denique ad imperii justitiaeque bona. His ego me mersi studiis. Nam philosophandi Corpus, Homo, Civis continet omne genus. Tres super his rebus statuo conscribere libros ; VITA THO. HOBBES. Materiemque mihi congero quoque die. Nascitur interea scelus execrabile belli, Et veniunt studiis tempora iniqua meis. Sexcentesimus et jam quadragesimus annus Post millesimum erat virginis a puero, Cum patriam invasit morbus mirabilis, unde Innumeri e doctis post periere viri. Quo quicunque fuit tactus, divina putabat Atque humana uni cognita jura sibi. Jamque in procinctu bellum stetit. Horreo spectans ; Meque ad dilectam confero Lutetiam. De Cive Postque duos annos edo De Cive libellum, Qui placuit doctis, et novus omnis erat; Versus et in varias linguas cum laude legebar, Gentibus et late nomine notus eram. Laudabat mediis in Erynnibus Anglia, et illi Quorum consiliis cognitus hostis eram Sed quod consiliis prcesentibus utile non est, Quantumvis justum, quis putat esse bonumf De Corpore Inde annis quatuor libri De Corpore forman, Qua sit scribendus, nocte dieque puto. Comparo corporeas moles ; et cogito rerum Visarum formas quid variare potest. Quaero quibus possim rationis Protea vinclis Stringere, fassurum qua tegit arte dolos. Adfuit e Minimis Mersennus, fidus amicus; Vir doctus, sapiens, eximieque bonus. Cujus cella scholis erat omnibus anterferenda ; Professorum omnes ambitione tument. Illi portabat, si dignum forte porisma Reppererat quisquam, principiumve novum. Perspicuo et proprio sermone, carente figuris Rhetoricis, gnomis, ambitione, dolo, Ille dedit doctis, qui vellent, rursus ut illud Vel statim possent, vel trutinare domi. Edidit e multisque inventis optima quxque; Signans authoris nomine quidque sui. Circa Mersennum convertebatur ut axem Unumquodque artis sidus in orbe suo. xii VITA THO. HOBBES. Saevierat bellum quatuor civile per annos, Anglos, Hibernos triverat atque Scotos. Perfidaque in castris mansit Fortuna scelestis: Diffugere via qua potuere probi. Ipse haeres regni Carolus, comitante caterva Armis clarorum et nobilitate virum, Lutetiam venit, expectans dum tempora iniqua Transirent, populi desineretque furor. Tunc ego decreram De Corpore scribere librum, Cujus materies tota parata fuit. Sed cogor differre; pati tot tantaque fceda Apponi jussis crimina, nolo, Dei. Divinas statuo quam primum absolvere leges; Idque ago paulatim, sollicitusque diu. Namque mathematics studiis dum Principi adessem, Non potui studiis semper adesse meis. Dein per sex menses morbo decumbo, propin- quse Accinctus morti ; nee fugio, ilia fugit. Leviathan Perfeci librum patrio sermone; ut ab Anglis Posset saepe meis, utiliterque legi: Londinoque typis celer evolat in regiones Vicinas, notus nomine Leviathan. Militat ille liber nunc regibus omnibus, et qui Nomine sub quovis regia ura tenent. Interea regem vendit Scotus, et necat Anglus ; Jus regni Carolus jamque Secundus habet, Lutetiae residens. Vim regni turba rebellis Occupat, et populum jam sine lege regit, Et nomen (quamvis pauci) sibi Parliamenti Sumens, se satiat sanguine nobilium ; Dejiciunt mitras, nee firmant Presbyteratum ; Clerica nil illic profuit ambitio. Exile Lutetiam ad regem multus venit inde scholans Expulsus patria, tristis, egenus, onus. Hue fuit usque meis studiis pax, multiplicata Dum facerent annos octo per octo meos ; Sed meus ille liber, simul atque scholaribus illis Lectus erat, Jani dissiluere fores. VITA THO. HOBBES. x Nam Regi accusor falso, quasi facta probarem Impia Cromwelli, jus scelerique darem. Creditur; adversis in partibus esse videbar; Perpetuo jubeor Regis abesse domo. Tunc venit in mentem mihi Dorislaus,* et Ascham ;* Tanquam proscripto terror ubique aderat. Nee de rege queri licuit. Nam tunc adolescens Credidit Me, quibus credidit ante pater. Return In patriam redeo tutelae non bene certus, Sed nullo potui tutior esse loco : Frigus erat, nix alta, senex ego, ventus acer- bus; Vexat equus sternax et salebrosa via. Londinum veniens, ne clam venisse viderer, Concilio Status conciliandus eram. Quo facto, statim summa cum pace recedo, Et sic me studiis applico, ut ante, meis. Solum regnabat tunc nomine Parliamentum; Praesul erat nullus, Presbyterusque nihil. Omnia miles erat, committier omnia et uni Poscebat; tacite Cromwell is unus erat. Regia conanti calamo defendere jura, Quis vitio vertat regia jura petens? Scribere cuique fuit libertas, quod sibi visum Esset, contento vivere more loci. Leviathan clerum at totum mihi fecerat hos- tem; Hostis Theologum nidus uterque fuit. Nam dum Papalis Regni contrecto tumorem, Hos, licet abscissos, laedere visus eram. Contra Leviathan, primo, convicia scribunt, Et causa, ut tanto plus legeretur, erant. Firmius inde stetit, spero stabitque per omne yEvum, defensus viribus ipse suis. Justitiae mensura, atque ambitionis elenchus, Regum arx, pax populo, si doceatur, erit. * Regicidx infames; quorum hie apud Hispanos, illc apud Federates Belgas a Parliamentariis legatus, a regiis confossi perierunt. VITA THO. HOBBES. Controversy on mathematics Six lessons Problems Ante duos minima prscmisi mole libellos ; Sed nee inest parvis gratia parva libris. Me* docet motus animi et phantasmata sensus, Nee sanos patitur spectra timere viros: Altert at Imperii sanctissima jura repandit, Quaeque rudes populos vincula sacra tenent. T'andem etiam absolvo librum De Corpore, cujus Materies simul et forma geometrica est. Tunc venit in lucem, tota plaudente caterva Algebristarum, Wallisii algebrica, Ilia Geometries pestis, quae cceperat ante Annos plus centum, nunc et ubique furit. Ars fuerat numeros quaesitos inveniendi, Quam docuit Cheber, et quam Diophantus habet. Deinde per hanc artem solam problemata solvi Posse geometriae cuncta Vieta docet. Addidit Oxoniae Praelector Savilianus Wallisius multo nobile dogma magis : Nempe infinitae molis finem esse, et habere Finitum partes et sine fine datas : Quae duo fecerunt insanos dogmata, quotquot Festinaverunt esse geometrici. Hsec mihi causa satis scribendi est justa libelli, (Annos natus eram septuaginta duos) In quo, Colloquiis ego Sex non molliter istos Tango geometras, ut meruere, novos; Sed nil profeci, magnis authoribus error Fultus erat; cessit sic medicina malo. Tunc quoque scribo duos patrio sermone libellos Contra Bramhallum. Quaestio sola fuit, Cujus ad arbitrium volumus, nostrumne, Deine : Me scholam sequitur, sed mihi dux ratio est. Sex quoque post paulo scripsi Problemata, librum Exiguum, at purae fonticulum physicae. * Liber de Natura Humana. t Lib. de Corpore Politico. VITA THO. HOBBES. Nam doceo natura locis qua dejicit arte Sublimes lapides, res aliasque graves ; Qua situla sol haunt aquas; ut frigora ventus Efficit; et venti qua ratione volant: Quo pendent steriles, volitantque per sera nubes, Quo fulcro gravida; destituente ruunt; Et quo consistunt durorum glutine partes, Duraque quae rursus mollia causa facit; Unde fragor coelo, qua nix glaciesque fit arte ; Excussusque altis emicat ignis aquis ; Quid res exiguas conjungit in acre sparsas, Et calidum Phoebus qua ratione facit; Herculeusque lapis ferrum quibus attrahit uncis, Observatque suae matris utrumque polum; Cur mare non' aequis ad littora volvitur undis ; Anno, mense, die quoque, bis auget aquas; Et quare, vento duce, navis it obvia vento ; Haec habet et monstrat parvulus ille liber. Et valitura puto cum tempore; quandoquidem nunc Inter tot Momos irreprehensa manent. Mrh et parvo naturam scribo libello Adversus quandam machinam inanificam. Tunc physicam linquens, ad amata mathemata vertor ; Namque meo tandem cesserat hostis agro. Tantum non lapidem potuissem vera docere. Clamosas speret nemo docere scholas. De Principles At De Principiis alium tamen edo libellum, Fecique ut posset clarius esse nihil. In quo naturam rationis ita explico, ut illam Nemo non claram diceret atque probam. Hac mihi parte fuit victoria cognita cunctis, Dissimulant aliis vulnera magna locis ; Deficiunt animis, sed deficientibus insto, Culminaque inscendo summa geometriae. Namque parem cyclum quadrato publico ; nec- non Jactatum Pythii monstro porisma Dei ; xvi VITA THO. HOBBES. Demonstrata prius, sed non rationibus iisdem, Sperabam methodo vincere posse nova. Sed nil profeci, densis u'mbonibus obstant, Cedere quos puduit, semi-mathematici. Ergo meam statuo non ultra perdere opellam, Indocile expectans discere posse pecus. Rosetum, Deinde librum scribo, quern nomine dico Rose- twm, Praecipuo densum fibre geometriae. Wallisius contra pugnat ; victusque videbar Algebristarum Theologumque scholis. Et simul eductus castris exercitus omnis Pugnae securus Wallisianus ovat ; Quern cum vidissem salebroso insistere campo, Stabat ubi radix densa, molesta, tenax, Pugna placet, vertor ; numerum licet infinitum Temporis in puncto dissipo, sterno, fugo. Bella mea audisti. Quid vis tibi dicier ultra ? An quam dives, id est, quam sapiens f uerim ? Anne refert.quot agros habui, quot millia num- mum? Si percontator forte rogabit et hoc, Exiguus mini fundus erat propriusque relictus Quern fratri dono, ductus amore, dedi. Parva superficies, sed millia multa ferebat Granorum tritici, nam bona terra fuit. Longa satis votis regum ; et nisi tota deorsum Tensa foret, Rex nunc magnus haberer ego. Ut primum belli sensi civilis odorem, Et populum ventos vidi agitasse levem : Quaero locum studiis, et vitas commodiorem, Hinc me Parisios transfero remque meam. Quingentae mihi erat numerata pecunia librae, Cum fugiens patriae littora linquo meae: Legacy His aliae paulo post accessere ducentae* Et simul immensus perpetuusque dolor. (Godolphine jaces; purae rationis amator, Justitiae et Veri miles amande, vale.) * Ex Legato Sydn. Godolphini. VITA THO. HOBBES. x! Venit et e patria mihi pensio certa quotannis, Bis* quadragintis constitit ilia libris. Pension from Deinde redux mihi Rex concessit habere quo- King tannis Centum alias libras ipsius ex loculis, Duke mihi donum. Convicia sperno aliorum, Quando teste ipso judicor esse probus. His ego contentus vivo, nee praefero plura ; Quis vellet sanus re minor esse sua? Rem, si quando lubet, per vestros supputo Sousos, Ut fiat major: si neque sic satis est, Per Maravedisios numero, videorque beatus Croesos et Crassos vincere divitiis. Ipse meos nosti, Verdusi candide, mores, Et tecum cuncti qui mea scripta legunt. Nam mea vita meis non est incongrua scriptis: Justitiam doceo, justitiamque colo. Improbus esse potest nemo qui non sit avarus, Nee pulchrum quisquam fecit avarus opus. Octoginta ego jam complevi et quatuor annos: Pene acta est vite fabula longa mese. * Ex munere Comitis Devonise. TOPICAL LIST OF THE WRITINGS OF HOBBES. The dates and the Latin titles are transferred from the catalogue of Ant. a Wood, as reprinted in Molesworth's edition of the Opera. Latina (cited as Op. Lot.), Vol. I. The English titles are those of Molesworth's edition of the English works (cited as E. IV.), except when these conflict with the titles quoted by Robertson from the early editions. All works, unless otherwise indicated, were published in London. I. Writings on Metaphysics. 1641. Objections in Cartesii de prima Philosophi; Meditationes. Published in all the early editions of Descartes's Meditations, Paris and Amsterdam. 1655. Elementa Philosophise Sectio prima de Corpore 8vo, 1655. Op. Lat. Vol. I. 1656. Elements of Philosophy, The First Section Con cerning Body. E. W. I. A translation, not by Hobbes, of the De Corpore. Cf. pp. ii. and 183 of this volume. See, also, for metaphysical discussion, Leviathan (esp chapters 12, 31, 34) ; the ethical writings; An Answe: to a Book ... by Dr. Bramhall. II. Writings on Mathematics and Physics. 1644. Tractatus Opticus. Op. Lat. V Published by 1 Physico-Mat, 1655. De Corpore Published by Mersenne, in 1644, in his Co gi tat a Physico-Mathematica. THE WRITINGS OF HOBBES. xix 1656. Concerning Body. These two works, already quoted by their full titles, contain the mathematical as well as the meta- physical doctrine of Hobbes. This follows nat- urally from his conviction, that " every part of the universe is body," for, if this be granted, the mathematical laws of the physical world are the principles of all reality. Hobbes, however, de- spite his pretensions, was never other than an amateur in mathematics;, and the mathematical chapters of De Corpore, along with much irrele- vant matter, contain one colossal blunder: the at- tempt (C. XX.) at squaring the circle. The error was exposed at once by Wallis, Savilian professor of geometry at Oxford, in his Elenchus Geomet- ries Hobbiana. This work was the starting-point of a bitter controversy, lasting more than twenty years. So far as the mathematical issues were concerned, Hobbes was always in the wrong; but he never acknowledged defeat, and returned with courage worthy of a better cause, again and again to the unequal struggle. (Cf. esp. Robertson's " Hobbes," pp. 167 seq.) It should, however, be noted that he modified the mathematical chapters, both in the later editions of De Corpore (followed in Molesworth's Op. Lot., which are based on the collected edition of 1668) and also in the English version, Concerning Body. All the titles in this section are of works concerned in this discussion. Unless otherwise described, all are to be found either in Op. Lat. If. or in E. W. VII. 1656. Six Lessons to the Professors of the Mathe- matics, ... in the Chairs set up by ... Sir Henry Savile in the University of Oxford. 1657. STirMAI or Marks of the Absurd Geometry, Rural Language, Scottish Church Politics and Barbarisms of John Wallis. 1660. Examinatio et Emendatio Mathematical Hodier- nse. 1661. Dialogus Physicus, sive de Natura ^Eris. xx THE WRITINGS OF HOBBES. 1661. De Duplicatione Cubi, Paris. Molesworth does not print this in the original French, but only in the modified English form, as the concluding pages of the Dialogus Physicus. 1662. Problemata Physica, una cum Magnitudine Ci culi. 1666. De Principiis et Ratiocinatione Geometrarum. 1669. Quadrature Circuli, Cubatio Sphseras, Dupl catio Cubi; una cum Responsione ad Obje tiones Geometrise Professoris Saviliani. 1671. Rosetum Geometricum, . . . cum Censui brevi Doctrinse Wallisianae de Motu. ; Lat V. 1671. Three Papers Presented to the Royal Sociel against Dr. Wallis. 1672. Lux Mathematica. Op. Lat. V. 1672. Principia et Problemata aliquot geometrica anl desperata . . . Op. Lat. V. 1678. Decameron Physiologicum, or Ten Dialogues c Natural Philosophy. (posthumous works.) 1682. Seven Philosophical Problems and Two Propc sitions of Geometry. A shortened translation of Problemata Physica, 1662. III. Writings on Psychology. 1650. Human Nature. E. W. IV. The logical foundation both of Hobbes's metaphysics and of his political philosophy. Actually the first of his systematic works, written in 1640 and at that time combined with the De Corpore Politico, under the title, The Elements of Law, Natural and Politique. (Cf. Robertson, " Hobbes," p. 5I and p. 67, Note.) THE WRITINGS OF HOBBES. xxi 1657. De Homine, sive Elementorum Philosophise Sectio Secunda. Op. Lat. II. An ill proportioned work, less complete than Human Nature and containing many, chiefly irrelevant, chapters on optics. See also, for psychological discussion: Leviathan, Pt. I. ; De Corpore, Pt. IV. ; Concerning Body, Pt. IV. ; Decameron Physiologicum. IV. Writings on " Civil Philosophy (or Poli- tics)." 1642. Elementorum Philosophic Sectio Tertia De Cive. Paris. Privately printed. Re-printed, in 1647, with altered title, thus: 1647. Elementa Philosophica de Cive. Amsterdam. Op. Lat. II. 1 65 1. Philosophical Rudiments concerning Govern- ment and Society. E. W. II. 1650. De Corpore Politico, or the Elements of Law, Moral and Politic. E. W. IV. Written in 1640 (Cf. Note, above, on Human Na- ture.) As compared with the De Cive, this work lays less emphasis on the power of the state in ecclesiastical matters. 1651. Leviathan: Or, the Matter, Form and Power of a Commonwealth, Ecclesiastical and Civil. E. W. III. The most popular, forcible and detailed discussion of the political theory of Hobbes. prefixed by several chapters on psychology. 1668. Leviathan. Amsterdam. Op. Lat. III. A translation, by Hobbes himself, into Latin. The Latin version omits and alters certain portions of the English original. It included: xxii THE WRITINGS OF HOBBES. 1668. Appendix ad Leviathan. Amsterdam. Op Lat. III. The Appendix sets forth (1) that the teaching of , Leviathan is not heretical and (2) that there re- mains in England no court of heresy. (posthumous works.; For the following works, Hobbes did not succeed in obtaining the censor's license : — ■ 1680. Behemoth: The History of the Causes of the Civil Wars of England . . . from the Year 1640 to the Year 1660. E. W. VI. Written about 1668. Several unauthorized and in- accurate editions appeared before 16S0. 1680. An Historical Narration concerning Heresy and the Punishment Thereof. (London?) E. W.IV. Written about 1666, after the abortive parliamentary proceedings against Leviathan. 1681. A Dialogue between a Philosopher and a Student of the Common Laws of England. E. W. VI. Written about 1666. 1682. An Answer to a Book Published by Dr. Bram- hall . . . called Catching of the Le- viathan. E. W. IV. Written in 1668. A refutation of Bramhall's charge, " that the Hobbian principles are destructive to Christianity and to all religion." 1688. Historia Ecclesiastica Romana, Poema . . . ubi de Superstitionis Origine, progressu, &c. . Op. Lat. V. Written, about 1670. An English version was pub lished in 1722. THE WRITINGS OF HOBBES. xxiii V. Writings on Ethics. 1654. Of Liberty and Necessity. E. W. IV. Written in in 1646, as part of a private discussion with Bishop Bramhall; published without the con- sent of Hobbes. (Cf. Robertson, " Hobbes," p. 163 seq.) 1656. The Questions concerning Liberty, Necessity and Chance, Clearly Stated and Debated be- tween Dr. Bramhall, Bishop of Derry, and Thomas Hobbes, of Malmesbury. E. W. V. See, also, Writings on Civil Philosophy. VI. Writings on Rhetoric and on Miscellaneous Subjects. 1636. De Mirabilibus Pecci liber. Account of an excursion round Derbyshire Peak. Written before 1628, Op. Lat. V. 1650. The Answer of Mr. Hobbes to Sir William Davenant's Preface before Gondibert. A letter on the nature of poetry, apropos of the poet laureate's heroic poem, Gondibert, E. W. IV. 1669. Letter to the Right Honorable Edw. Howard. Published as prefix to Mr. Howard's poem, The British Princes. (posthumous works.) 1681. The Whole Art of Rhetoric. E. W. VI. An English abstract of that Latin version of Aris- totle's Rhetoric, dictated between 1630 and 1640, by Hobbes, to his pupil, the young Earl of Devon- shire. To this is added, in the edition of 1681, short treatises on: xxiv THE WRITINGS OF HOBBES. The Art of Rhetoric, The Art of Sophistry. VII. Translations. 1628. Eight Books of the Peloponnesian War, written by Thucydides . . . Interpreted with Faith and Diligence immediately out of the Greek. E. W. VIII. and IX. 1674. Voyage of Ulysses. A rhymed translation of Odyssey, Bks. IX.-XII., later incorporated in the complete translation: 1675. The Iliads and Odysses of Homer. Translated out of Greek into English. With a large preface concerning the Virtues of an Heroic Poem. E. W. X. VIII. Personal Writings. 1662. Considerations upon the Reputation, Loyalty, Manners and Religion of Thomas Hobbes. E. W. IV. A reply to the personal charges of Wallis's Hobbius Heautontimorumenos. 1674. Epistola ad Antony a Wood. (London?) Not included in Op. Lat. A protest against Dean Fell's abuse of Hobbes in the translation of Wood's History and Antiquities of Oxford. 1679. Vita Ejus Latino Carmine. Op. Lat. I. THE WRITINGS OF HOBBES. xxr (posthumous works.) 1681. T. Hobbes Malmesburiensis Vita. Op. Lat. I. A prose life, attributed to Hobbes. See, also, for personal allusions, all the controversial writings of Hobbes; and for a few letters, E. W. VII. and Op. Lat. V. BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE. For references to contemporary criticism of Hobbes, usually unsympathetic and often violent, see R. Blackbourne, Vitse Hobbianoe Auctarium (1681), Op. Lat. I., p. Ixix. seq. For references to works of exposition and of criticism, from the later seventeenth century onward, see Sneath, " The Ethics of Hobbes" (1898), Introduction, p. xii. seq.; Robertson, (1) "Hobbes" (1886), chaps. IX. and X., (2) article in Encycl. Brit., gth ed., vol. XII., footnotes. The most useful of recent works on the life, writing and system of Hobbes include the books, just mentioned, of Rob- ertson and of Sneath, and the following: "Hobbes" (1904), by Leslie Stephen, and "Hobbes, Leben und Lehre," (Stutt- gart, 1896) by F. Tonnies, and Woodbridge, " The Philosophy of Hobbes in Extracts and Notes from his Writings" (1903). ELEMENTS OF PHILOSOPHY. THE FIRST SECTION, CONCERNING BODY, WRITTEN IN LATIN BY THOMAS HOBBES OF MALMESBURY, AND TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH. THE TRANSLATOR TO THE READER. If, when I had finished my translation of this first sec- tion of the Elements of Philosophy, I had presently committed the same to the press, it might have come tc your hands sooner than now it doth. But as I under- took it with much diffidence of my own ability to per- form it well ; so I thought fit, before I published it, tc pray Mr. Hobbes to view, correct, and order it accord- ing to his own mind and pleasure. Wherefore, though you find some places enlarged, others altered, and two chapters, XIII and XX, almost wholly changed, you may nevertheless remain assured, that as now I present it to you, it doth not at all vary from the author's own sense and meaning. ********** THE AUTHOR'S EPISTLE TO THE READER. Think not, Courteous Reader, that the philosophy, the elements whereof I am going to set in order, is that which makes philosophers' stones, nor that which is found in the metaphysic codes ; but that it is the nat- ural reason of man, busily flying up and down among the creatures, and bringing back a true report of their order, causes and effects. Philosophy, therefore, the child of the world and your own mind, is within your- self ; perhaps not fashioned yet, but like the world its father, as it was in the beginning, a thing confused. Do, therefore, as the statuaries do, who, by hewing off that which is superfluous, do not make but find the image. Or imitate the creation : if you will be a phi- losopher in good earnest, let your reason move upon the deep of your own cogitations and experience ; those things that lie in confusion must be set asunder, dis- tinguished, and every one stamped with its own name set in order ; that is to say, your method must resemble that of the creation. The order of the creation was, light, distinction of day and night, the firmament, the luminaries, sensible creatures, man; and, after the crea- tion, the commandment. Therefore the order of con- templation will be, reason, definition, space, the stars, sensible quality, man; and after man'is grown up, sub- jection to command. In the first part of this section, which is entitled Logic, I set up the light of reason. In the second, which hath for title the Grounds of 3 4 CONCERNING BODY. Philosophy, I distinguish the most common notions b] accurate definition, for the avoiding of confusion anc obscurity. The third part concerns the expansion oJ space, that is Geometry. The fourth contains the Mo- tion of the Stars, together with the doctrine of sensible qualities. In the second section, if it please God, shall be han- dled Man. In the third section, the doctrine of Sub- jection is handled already. This is the method I fol- lowed; and if it like you, you may use the same; for I do but propound, not commend to you anything of mine. But whatsoever shall be the method you will like, I would very fain commend philosophy to you, that is to say, the study of wisdom, for want of which we have all suffered much damage lately. For even they, that study wealth, do it out of love to wisdom; for their treasures serve them but for a looking-glass, wherein to behold and contemplate their own wisdom. Nor do they, that love to be employed in public busi- ness, aim at anything but place wherein to show their wisdom. Neither do voluptuous men neglect philoso- phy, but only because they know not how great a pleas- ure it is to the mind of man to be ravished in the vigorous and perpetual embraces of the most beauteous world. Lastly, though for nothing else, yet because the mind of man is no less impatient of empty time than nature is of empty place, to the end you be not forced for want of what to do, to be troublesome to men that have business, or take hurt by falling into idle company, but have somewhat of your own where- with to fill up your time, I recommend unto you to study philosophy. Farewell. T. H. COMPUTATION OR LOGIC. CHAPTER I. OF PHILOSOPHY. I. The Introduction. — 2. The Definition of Philosophy ex- plained. — 3. Ratiocination of the Mind. — 4. Properties, what they are. — 5. "How Properties are known by Generation, and contrarily. — 6. The Scope of Philosophy. — 7. The Utility of it. — 8. The Subject. — 9. The Parts of it. — 10. The Epilogue. Philosophy seems to me to be amongst men now, in the same manner as corn and wine are said to have been in the world in ancient time. For 'from the be- ginning there were vines and ears of corn growing here and there in the fields ; but no care was taken for the planting and sowing of them. Men lived there- fore upon acorns ; or if any were so bold as to venture upon the eating of those unknown and doubtful fruits, they did it with danger of their health. In like man- ner, every man brought Philosophy, that is, Natural Reason, into the world with him; for all men can reason to some degree, and concerning some things: but where there is need of a long series of reasons, there most men wander out of the way, and fall into error for want of method, as it were for want of sow- ing and planting, that is, of improving their reason. And from hence it comes to pass, that they who con- tent themselves with daily experience, which may be 5 6 CONCERNING BODY. likened to feeding upon acorns, and either reject, 01 not much regard philosophy, are commonly esteemed, and are, indeed, men of sounder judgment than those who, from opinions, though not vulgar, yet full of uncertainty, and carelessly received, do nothing but dispute and wrangle, like men that are not well in their wits. I confess, indeed, that that part of philoso- phy by which magnitudes and figures are computed, is highly improved. But because I have not observed the like advancement in the other parts of it, my pur- pose is, as far forth as I am able, to lay open the few and first Elements of Philosophy in general, as so many seeds from which pure and true Philosophy may hereafter spring up by little and little. I am not ignorant how hard a thing it is to weed out of men's minds such inveterate opinions as have taken root there, and been confirmed in them by the author- ity of most eloquent writers; especially seeing true (that is, accurate) Philosophy professedly rejects not only the paint and false colours of language, but even the very ornaments and graces of the same; and the first grounds of all science are not only not beautiful, but poor, arid, and, in appearance, deformed. Never- theless, there being certainly some men, though but few, who are delighted with truth and strength of rea- son in all things, I thought I might do well to take this pains for the sake even of those few. I proceed therefore to the matter, and take my beginning from the very definition of philosophy, which is this. 2. Philosophy is such knowledge of effects or appearances, as we acquire by true ratiocination from the knowledge we have first of their causes or genera- tion: And again, of such causes or generations as may be from knowing first their effects. , OF PHILOSOPHY. 7 For the better understanding of which definition, we must consider, first, that although Sense and Memory of things, which are common to man and all living creatures, be knowledge, yet because they are given us immediately by nature, and not gotten by ratiocination, they are not philosophy. Secondly, seeing Experience is nothing but memory ; and Prudence, or prospect into the future time, noth- ing but expectation of such things as we have already had experience of, Prudence also is not to be esteemed philosophy. By ratiocination, I mean computation. Now to compute, is either to collect the sum of many things that are added together, or to know what remains when one thing is taken out of another. Ratiocination, therefore, is the same with addition and sub str action; and if any man add multiplication and division, I will not be against it, seeing multiplication is nothing but addition of equals one to another, and division nothing but a substraction of equals one from another, as often as is possible. So that all ratiocination is compre- hended in these two operations of the mind, addition and substraction. 3. But how by the ratiocination of our mind, we add and substract in our silent thoughts, without the use of words, it will be necessary for me to make in- telligible by an example or two. If therefore a man see something afar off and obscurely, although no appellation had yet been given to anything, he will, notwithstanding, have the same idea of that thing for which now, by imposing a name on it, we call it body. Again, when, by coming nearer, he sees the same thing thus and thus, now in one place and now in another, he will have a new idea thereof, namely, that for which 8 CONCERNING BODY. we now call such a thing animated. Thirdly, when standing nearer, he perceives the figure, hears the voice, and sees other things which are signs of a ra- tional mind, he has a third idea, though it have yet no appellation, namely, that for. which we now call any- thing rational. Lastly, when, by looking fully and dis- tinctly upon it, he conceives all that he has seen as one thing, the idea he has now is compounded of his for- mer ideas, which are put together in the mind in the same order in which these three single names, body, animated, rational, are in speech compounded into this one name, body-animated-rational, or man. In like manner, of the several conceptions of four sides, equal- ity of sides, and right angles, is compounded the con- ception of a square. For the mind may conceive a figure of four sides without any conception of their equality, and of that equality without conceiving a right angle ; and may join together all these single con- ceptions into one conception or one idea of a square. And thus we see how the conceptions of the mind are compounded. Again, whosoever sees a man standing near him, conceives the whole idea of that man ; and if, as he goes away, he follow him with his eyes only, he will lose the idea of those things which were signs of his being rational, whilst, nevertheless, the idea of a body-animated remains still before his eyes, so that the idea of rational is subtracted from the whole idea of man, that is to say, of body-animated-rational, and there remains that of body-animated; and a while after, at a greater distance, the idea of animated will be lost, and that of body only will remain ; so that at last, when nothing at all can be seen, the whole idea will vanish out of sight. By which examples, I think, OF PHILOSOPHY. 9 it is manifest enough what is the internal ratiocination of the mind without words. We must not therefore think that computation, that is, ratiocination, has place only in numbers, as if man were distinguished from other living creatures (which is said to have been the opinion of Pythagoras) by nothing but the faculty of numbering; for magnitude, body, motion, time, degrees of quality, action, concep- tion, proportion, speech and names (in which all the kinds of philosophy consist) are capable of addition and substraction. Now such things as we add or sub- stract, that is, which we put into an account, we are said to consider, in Greek Xoy^to-ftu, in which language also