Tuck, Richard. Hobbes: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002.

Richard Tuck’s Hobbes: A Very Short Introduction offers a concise yet profound exploration of Thomas Hobbes’s philosophy, challenging common misconceptions about his work. Often caricatured as a pessimistic atheist advocating for totalitarian rule, Hobbes emerges in Tuck’s analysis as a deeply intellectual figure driven by a desire to counter skepticism and develop a robust theory of knowledge. Tuck situates Hobbes’s thought within the broader intellectual landscape of the 17th century, drawing compelling comparisons to figures like Descartes. He highlights Hobbes’s innovative contributions to political theory, particularly his vision of the social contract as a solution to the chaotic state of nature, while also emphasizing the philosophical underpinnings of his ideas about human nature, morality, and governance.

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