Thomas Hobbes as a historian: civil science in historiography

Abstract

This study searches a general understanding on Thomas Hobbes’ sense of history. Although mainly concerned with his Civil Science, Hobbes also made of history an object of study and analysis, writing a book on the English Revolution. Starting from the understanding of history as a teacher of life and of the philosopher’s sense of the past, by means of reflections on their contacts with the historical narrative, this study seeks to demonstrate the sense of historiography of an author that did not see himself as historian, although having made of it a way of political action. It seeks to demonstrate the sense that history — as magistra vitae — has taken in the context of his oeuvre and its relationship with the notion of human nature that emerges of Hobbes’ quintessential thinking. This work is conducted between history as a teaching matter and as a solution to the state of nature.