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[[Image:Bhmvgjhfj.jpg|right|thumb|Thomas Hobbes]]

[[Image:Bhmvgjhfj.jpg|right|thumb|Thomas Hobbes]]

'''Thomas Hobbes''' (1588-1679) was an English [[philosopher]], political theorist, historian, optical scientist, translator and classicist. Hobbes was notable as one of the founders of [[social contract]] theory, and a forerunner of [[British empiricism]].  As a [[materialism|materialist]], his concept of human existence excluded the [[soul]], with the [[mind]] being given a purely mechanical explanation.  He was rumoured to be an atheist, which was illegal in 16th century England.   

'''Thomas Hobbes''' (1588-1679) was an English [[philosopher]], political theorist, historian, optical scientist, translator and classicist. Hobbes was notable as one of the founders of [[social contract]] theory, and a forerunner of [[British empiricism]].  As a [[materialism|materialist]], his concept of human existence excluded the [[soul]], with the [[mind]] being given a purely mechanical explanation.  He was widely rumoured during his lifetime to be an atheist, which was illegal on 16th century England.   

Hobbes saw matter in motion as the only reality.  To him consciousness and thought were mechanical processes of the brain. <ref>The New American Desk Encyclopedia, Penguin Group, 1989</ref>

Hobbes saw matter in motion as the only reality.  To him even consciousness and thought were but the byproducts of atoms moving in the brain.<ref>The New American Desk Encyclopedia, Penguin Group, 1989</ref>

In Hobbes's most famous work ''Leviathan'' (1651), he wrote that life for humans prior to the foundation of the social contract was "solitary, poore, nasty, brutish and short".  Humans had to form collectives in order to protect themselves from one another.  This idea was extended by the social philosopher [[John Locke]], who held (most notably in his ''Second Treatise on Government'') that collective effort was necessary for the promotion of economic growth.  Hobbes's love of strong leadership led him to support monarchy, although he took the view that any form of government was superior to anarchy.

According to Hobbes's most famous work ''Leviathan'' (1651), life for humans prior to the foundation of the social contract was "solitary, poore, nasty, brutish and short".  Humans had to form collectives in order to protect themselves from each other.  This idea was extended by [[John Locke]], who held (most notably in his ''Second Treatise on Government'') that collectivisation was necessary for the promotion of economic growth.  Hobbes's love of strong leadership led him to support monarchy, although he took the view that any strong government was better than nothing, and the stronger the better.

: ''Government should be like unto a man, strong and hard'' (''Leviathan'' xvii).

: ''Government should be like unto a man, strong and hard'' (''Leviathan'' xvii).