Hobbes, Thomas. Man and Citizen (De Homine and De Cive). Edited by Bernard Gert. Translated by Charles T. Wood, T. S. K. Scott-Craig, and Bernard Gert. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company, 1991.

Thomas Hobbes’s De Homine (Latin for “On Man”) is part of his larger trilogy on political and natural philosophy, which also includes De Cive (“On the Citizen”) and Leviathan. Written in 1658, De Homine delves into Hobbes’s understanding of human nature and psychology, providing the foundation for his theories on politics and society.

In De Homine, Hobbes explores topics such as perception, language, reason, and emotions, emphasizing the mechanistic and materialistic nature of human beings. He describes human behavior as governed by motion and appetite, where individuals act to satisfy their desires and avoid pain. Hobbes also examines the role of free will, arguing that human actions are determined by prior causes.

The work includes a detailed discussion on the nature of vision and optical phenomena, reflecting Hobbes’s engagement with contemporary scientific theories. These reflections align with his broader view that understanding human behavior requires a scientific approach.

De Homine bridges Hobbes’s natural philosophy with his political theories, setting the stage for his arguments in De Cive and Leviathan, where he outlines the social contract as a response to the inherent conflicts and chaos arising from human nature. The book is significant for providing deeper insights into the psychological and biological underpinnings of Hobbes’s political philosophy.

The Elements of Philosophy is composed of three parts, not published in their intended order.

De Homine, which was published in 1658, opens with ten chapters on optics. The last five chapters, treating Hobbes’s accounts of the passions and an analysis of the origins of religion, are published in the volume Man and Citizen, edited by Bernard Gert.

 

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