Thomas Hobbes

“A wise man should so write (though in words understood by all men) that wise men only should be able to commend him.”

“I put for the general inclination of all mankind, a perpetual and restless desire of power after power, that ceaseth only in death.”

“Science is the knowledge of consequences, and dependence of one fact upon another.”

“For such is the nature of man, that howsoever they may acknowledge many others to be more witty, or more eloquent, or more learned; Yet they will hardly believe there be many so wise as themselves: For they see their own wit at hand, and other mens at a distance.”

“That a man be willing, when others are so too, as far forth as for peace and defense of himself he shall think it necessary, to lay down this right to all things; and be contented with so much liberty against other men, as he would allow other men against himself.”

“Fear of things invisible in the natural seed of that which everyone in himself calleth religion.”

“And because the condition of man . . . is a condition of war of every one against every one, in which case every one is governed by his own reason, and there is nothing he can make use of that may not be a help unto him in preserving his life against his enemies; it followeth that in such a condition every man has a right to every thing, even to one another's body. And therefore, as long as this natural right of every man to every thing endureth, there can be no security to any man, how strong or wise soever he be, of living out the time which nature ordinarily alloweth men to live. And consequently it is a precept, or general rule of reason: that every man ought to endeavour peace, as far as he has hope of obtaining it; and when he cannot obtain it, that he may seek and use all helps and advantages of war. The first branch of which rule containeth the first and fundamental law of nature, which is: to seek peace and follow it. The second, the sum of the right of nature, which is: by all means we can to defend ourselves.”

“Now I am about to take my last voyage, a great leap in the dark”

“The universe, the whole mass of things that are, is corporeal, that is to say, body, and hath the dimensions of magnitude, length, breadth and depth. Every part of the universe is ‘body’ and that which is not ‘body’ is no part of the universe, and because the universe is all, that which is no part of it is nothing, and consequently nowhere.”

“Sudden glory is the passion which maketh those grimaces called laughter.”

“המון שככה התאחד באיש אחד קרוי מדינה, בלטינית סיויטס (Civitas), זו היא הולדתו של אותו לווייתן אדיר, או מוטב אותו אל בן תמותה אשר לו אנו חבים את שלומנו והגנתנו.”

“מדע החוקים האלו הוא פילוסופיית המוסר האמיתית היחידה שהרי הפילוסופיה של המוסר אינה אלא מדע הטוב והרע בשיח ובחברה של המין האנושי.”

“האושר הוא התקדמות מתמדת של התשוקה ממושא אחד לאחר.”

“יהיה כל אדם מכיר באחר שהוא שווה לו על פי הטבע.”

“נכסים, דעת וכבוד אינם אלא סוגים שונים של כוח.”

“מצב האדם... הוא מצב של מלחמת איש באחיו.”

“עתה אני עומד לערוך את מסעי האחרון, זינוק גדול אל עבר האפילה.”

“טובת הפרט והפחד מונחים ביסודה של החברה, והמוסר כולו מסתכם בכך לחיות בהתאם לתועלת האישית.”

“זיכרונות מרובים או זיכרונות הכרוכים בדברים רבים, מהווים את מה שאנו מכנים ניסיון.”

“העוצמה והתחבולה הם שני כלי הנשק העיקריים של בני האדם במלחמה.”