"it could live together in peace and

“ It is not wisdom but Authority that makesa law.” (Hobbes n. d) Thomas Hobbes was born in 1588 and died in 1679. Hewas a son of a disgraced village vicar, however his uncle saw potential in himand paid for his education. After attending Oxford, he went on to tutor severalchildren of noble families. He even tutored Prince Charles III in math. ThomasHobbes is best known for his political thoughts.

However, Hobbes was also known” as a scientist, mathematician, translator of the classics, writer of laws, disputant in metaphysics and epistemology, and disputes on religious questions.”(Garrath n. d)Thomas Hobbes wrote many books during his lifetime, some of the books include The Elements of Law, De Clue, and Leviathan. Hobbes was best known for De Clue and Leviathan.

His main concern was the problem of social and political order. He believedhumans could live together in peace and avoid conflict, to develop harmony. Hobbes became a conservative after the English Civil War that lasted almost adecade. During this civil war, almost 200, 000 people died.  Hobbes’s most important book was Leviathan. Hobbes wrote in the Leviathan that the people should give theircompliance to the government, no matter what, so that civil war does not breakout. The Divine Right of Kings means that monarchs are divine, and the peopleshould follow the Kings.

Divinity is from God thus if you were to followingGod, you would follow the monarch. Unlike the Divine Right of Kings, the socialcontract theory argues that the right to rule is given from ordinary people. Thus, people would be loyal to the King, as long as they believed the King was fortheir health and happiness. Hobbes thought that both theories had flaws. Hobbeswas driven to write the Leviathan outof fear that another civil war would break out.

Hobbes wrote about the socialcontract theory, and how it goes hand in hand with obedience. He gatheredinformation by, asking people to think about the history of man. His view ofman’s history was, the people running around in bear skins fighting each otherand wreaking havoc, until men decided they needed order. They were tired of fightingand looked up to people of higher power to govern them. Then people wanted organizedgovernment due to the fear of war.

Hobbes wrote that the people had the duty tokeep obeying the ruler with only one right to complain or revolt against theruler. The only reason he felt people were allowed to revolt was the threaten ofdeath from their ruler. Otherwise, it was fine if the ruler increased taxes orruined the economy. Hobbes believed that even if the ruler had outrageousplans, it would be the duty of the people to follow the orders. Hobbes’sphilosophy was based upon fear, however time and time again his philosophy isproven to be true.

I believe that Thomas Hobbes’s philosophy fitsinto the ethics realm of philosophy. Hobbes’s philosophy talks about how peopleshould live, in order to make society less violent. I believe that Hobbes had agood philosophy, however I do not think the people should follow ordersblindly. I think it is good for people to question authority and debate whetheror not the ruler is fit for the people.

However, I believe there is a middleground. We, the people, should not dispute every detail, and we should notfulfill every order. I think Hobbes’s philosophy worked for his time era, but arevision could be made for the 21st century.