Starting with Hobbes

This book provides a new introduction to Hobbes, guiding the student through the key concepts of his work by examining the overall development of his ideas.Thomas Hobbes was one of the most important and influential philosophers of the seventeenth century. Covering all the key concepts of his work, "Starting with Hobbes" provides an accessible introduction to the ideas of this hugely significant thinker. Thematically structured, this book leads the reader through the full range of Hobbes' ideas and, uniquely, not just his political philosophy. In his day, he was internationally as famous for his theories about knowledge, language, the material nature of reality, mathematics, psychology, and religion, as he was for his politics; and these aspects of his work are fully covered. The book places Hobbes firmly in his historical context, with discussions of his relations to contemporary thinkers such as Galileo and Descartes and of his influence on later thinkers such as Spinoza and Leibniz. This is the ideal introduction for anyone coming to the work of one of the greatest of English philosophers for the first time."Continuum's Starting with"...series offers clear, concise and accessible introductions to the key thinkers in philosophy. The books explore and illuminate the roots of each philosopher's work and ideas, leading readers to a thorough understanding of the key influences and philosophical foundations from which his or her thought developed. Ideal for first-year students starting out in philosophy, the series will serve as the ideal companion to study of this fascinating subject.

George MacDonald Ross is a Senior Lecturer in Philosophy at the University of Leeds, UK, and Director of the Subject Centre for Philosophical and Religious Studies at the Higher Education Academy. In 2006 he was awarded a National Teaching Fellowship for his contribution to the improvement of learning and teaching in higher education in the UK.