Thomas Hobbes - Leviathan - Book 1, Ch. 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 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.

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.

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.

"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.