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Thomas Hobbes Birth
Born in England, born prematurely by his mothers fear of the Spanish Armada -
Thucydides
one of his early published books "History of the Peloponnesian" which he intended to show the dangers of a democratic government -
Influence of Galileo
Hobbes travels to Italy to meet with Galileo. With his influence, Hobbes develops his social philosophy on principles of geometry and natural science. -
Absolute Soverignty
Circulates his manuscript Elements of Law, which demonstrated the need for absolute sovereignty, to members of parliament. King dissolves parliament in May. November, the Long Parliament impeaches Thomas Wentworth and Hobbes flees to Paris where he is welcomed once more into the circle of Mersenne. -
Publication of De Cive
Publication of De Cive and First Draught of 1646 the Optiques. Begins De Corpore, the first work in a trilogy on body, man and citizen. -
Exiled in Paris
Tutor in mathematics to the future Charles II, also exiled in Paris. -
Publication of Leviathan
Publication of Leviathan. Returns to England and begins his dispute with John Bramall, bishop of Derry, on the issue of free will. masterpiece, in which he set out systematically an ingenious social contractarian case for an authoritarian government. Hobbes argued that the state of nature was a condition of ‘war of all against all’, since humans are by nature moved by competitiveness, fear, and pride to coerce others. They would contract together to establish a -
Publication of De Corpore
Beginnings of his controversy with John Wallis and Seth Ward, charter members of the Royal Society, on issues of geometry, religion and the state of the universities. Year of the Great Plague. De Corpore consists of 4 parts which are logic, "abstract bodies' whcih are scientific concepts and geometry and last is physics -
The Great Fire of London
parliament was caught up in a witch hunt and sought to stamp out atheism. Leviathan is scrutinized but the king interceeds in his behalf but prohibits Hobbes from publishing any more of his works. -
Thomas Hobbes Death
December 4, dies at Hardwick Hall.
