Historical Dictionary of Hobbes's Philosophy

by Juhana Lemetti

Overview

Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) is one of the most important early modern thinkers. Though Hobbes is best known for Leviathan (1651) and the theory of absolute sovereignty, his works discuss virtually all the major problems of philosophy as well as science and mathematics, and contain the translations of classical texts like Thucydides' History of the Peloponnesian War, a verse church history, and various essays. Hobbes spent most of his adult life in the service of the influential Cavendish family.

The Historical Dictionary of Hobbes's Philosophy offers a comprehensive guide to the many facets of Hobbes's work. Through its chronology, introductory essay, bibliography, and hundreds of cross-referenced dictionary entries on concepts, people, works, and technical terms, Hobbes's impact on philosophy and related fields is made accessible to the reader in this must-have reference. Intended as a reference to learn about particular aspects of Hobbes, it also serves as a quick guide to check information and find the relevant secondary literature on Hobbes. It is an excellent access point for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about Thomas Hobbes.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780810875333
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	12/16/2011
Series:	Historical Dictionaries of Religions, Philosophies, and Movements Series
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	432
File size:	5 MB

About the Author

Juhana Lemetti is a postdoctoral researcher at the Academy of Finland at the University of Helsinki. His publications include The Most Natural and the Most Artificial: Hobbes on Imagination and From Metaphysics to Ethics and Beyond: Hobbes's Reaction to Aristotelian Essentialism. He is also the associate editor of Hobbes Studies.

Table of Contents

Editor’s Foreword (Jon Woronoff)
Preface
Acknowledgments
Abbreviations
Photographs
Chronology
Introduction
THE DICTIONARY
Bibliography
About the Author

Editorial Reviews

Thomas Hobbes is one of the foremost among very influential political philosophers. His Leviathan is a major classic in the canon and is taught in most colleges and universities at all levels. In this clearly written companion to Hobbes's thought, Lemetti (Univ. of Helsinki, Finland) offers a not quite comprehensive guidebook, primarily for reading Leviathan. He defines and explains Hobbes's concepts, and includes other philosophers and people in his life, as well as topics that pertain to his thought....The biographical chronology and introduction are interesting and very useful. Lemetti is fair and unbiased, neither praising nor critically commenting on Hobbes's works. The 550 or so entries range from two inches to two pages, and include quotations from Hobbes or his commentators. Most terms are cross-referenced. Because Hobbes wrote in Old English, this companion is very helpful. This reviewer—who teaches Hobbes and admires his philosophy—found this dictionary stimulating enough, and an excellent resource for research, especially because of its lengthy bibliography (p. 365-404). Summing Up: Highly recommended. Library reference collections supporting upper-level undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty

Choice Reviews

The Historical Dictionary of Hobbes’s Philosophy, one of the latest additions to the series Historical Dictionaries of Religions, Philosophies, andMovements, is another excellent work. A student or researcher new to the philosopher Thomas Hobbes (1588–1679) will find all the main points of his philosophy and work covered in one accessible book.

Journal Of Religious & Theological Information

This dictionary offers a comprehensive introduction to the intellectual, historical, and cultural context of Hobbesian thought; a year-to-year chronology of the important events and persons in his life; and the significant events and person’s that influenced his intellectual ideas or reacted to them. Following the introduction is an A-Z compendium of Hobbes’s ideas, including the persons and events that influenced and responded to his writings. The extensive bibliography includes an introduction to Hobbesian scholarship, including texts, manuscripts, editions and translations, writers concerned with Hobbes’s ideas, and additional research literature. This is a well-organized and timely volume that will be useful to undergraduate students as well as graduate students and scholars interested in Hobbesian studies.

American Reference Books Annual

Thomas Hobbes is one of the foremost among very influential political philosophers. His Leviathan is a major classic in the canon and is taught in most colleges and universities at all levels. In this clearly written companion to Hobbes's thought, Lemetti (Univ. of Helsinki, Finland) offers a not quite comprehensive guidebook, primarily for reading Leviathan. He defines and explains Hobbes's concepts, and includes other philosophers and people in his life, as well as topics that pertain to his thought....The biographical chronology and introduction are interesting and very useful. Lemetti is fair and unbiased, neither praising nor critically commenting on Hobbes's works. The 550 or so entries range from two inches to two pages, and include quotations from Hobbes or his commentators. Most terms are cross-referenced. Because Hobbes wrote in Old English, this companion is very helpful. This reviewer—who teaches Hobbes and admires his philosophy—found this dictionary stimulating enough, and an excellent resource for research, especially because of its lengthy bibliography (p. 365-404). Summing Up: Highly recommended. Library reference collections supporting upper-level undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty

Choice

Thomas Hobbes is one of the foremost among very influential political philosophers. His Leviathan is a major classic in the canon and is taught in most colleges and universities at all levels. In this clearly written companion to Hobbes's thought, Lemetti (Univ. of Helsinki, Finland) offers a not quite comprehensive guidebook, primarily for reading Leviathan. He defines and explains Hobbes's concepts, and includes other philosophers and people in his life, as well as topics that pertain to his thought....The biographical chronology and introduction are interesting and very useful. Lemetti is fair and unbiased, neither praising nor critically commenting on Hobbes's works. The 550 or so entries range from two inches to two pages, and include quotations from Hobbes or his commentators. Most terms are cross-referenced. Because Hobbes wrote in Old English, this companion is very helpful. This reviewer—who teaches Hobbes and admires his philosophy—found this dictionary stimulating enough, and an excellent resource for research, especially because of its lengthy bibliography (p. 365-404). Summing Up: Highly recommended. Library reference collections supporting upper-level undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty

CHOICE

This dictionary offers a comprehensive introduction to the intellectual, historical, and cultural context of Hobbesian thought; a year-to-year chronology of the important events and persons in his life; and the significant events and person’s that influenced his intellectual ideas or reacted to them. Following the introduction is an A-Z compendium of Hobbes’s ideas, including the persons and events that influenced and responded to his writings. The extensive bibliography includes an introduction to Hobbesian scholarship, including texts, manuscripts, editions and translations, writers concerned with Hobbes’s ideas, and additional research literature. This is a well-organized and timely volume that will be useful to undergraduate students as well as graduate students and scholars interested in Hobbesian studies.

American Reference Books Annual (ARBA)