Thomas Hobbes - Leviathan - Book 1, Ch. 1-3

Overview of Leviathan - Book 1, Chapters 1-3

• Book 1 titled "Of Man" explores the nature of human understanding and cognition.
• The chapters focus on sense perception, imagination, and thought processes.

Chapter Summaries

• Chapter 1: "Of Sense"

  • Discusses the origins of knowledge through sensory experiences.
  • Asserts that the physical world interacts with our senses, leading to perception.

• Chapter 2: "Of Imagination"

  • Defines imagination as "decaying sense," where mental images persist after the stimulus is gone.
  • Explains how continued motion transforms sensory input into thoughts.

• Chapter 3: "Of the Consequence or Trayne of Imaginations"

  • Examines the succession of thoughts and how one idea prompts another.
  • Differentiates between unguided (random) and regulated (directed) trains of thought.

Key Concepts

• Knowledge arises from external objects affecting our senses.
• Senses are the result of interactions between external bodies and our sensory organs.
• Imagination serves as a bridge from sensory perception to thought, with memory being a longer-lasting form of imagination.
• Experience is built upon memories of sensed objects.

Imagination and Perception

• Dreams and visions represent internal sensations during sleep and wakefulness, respectively.
• Understanding is a specific outcome of imagination linked to physical sensations of language or signs.

Mental Processes

• "Train of thoughts" theory highlights the connection between successive mental images and their influence on thinking.
• The two types of thought trains are unguided (as in dreams) and regulated (focused thinking).
• Hobbes develops arguments progressively, grounding each step in previously established ideas.

Philosophical Methodology

• For Hobbes, philosophical truths must derive from shared definitions to ensure clarity and coherence in arguments.