文档介绍：Thomas Hobbes - The Elements of Law Natural and Politic Printable Version
Thomas Hobbes' The Elements of Law Natural and
Thomas Hobbes Politic Printable Version
The Elements of Law Natural and Politic Printable
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The Elements of Law Natural and Politic
1640
by Thomas Hobbes
To the Right Honourable
William, Earl of Newcastle,
Governor to the Prince his Highness, one of His Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council
The Epistle Dedicatory
My Most Honoured Lord,
From the two principal parts of our nature, Reason and Passion, have proceeded two kinds of learning,
mathematical and dogmatical. The former is free from controversies and dispute, because it consisteth in
comparing figures and motion only; in which things truth and the interest of men, oppose not each other.
But in the later there is nothing not disputable, because pareth men, and meddleth with their right
and profit; in which as oft as reason is against a man, so oft will a man be against reason. And from
hence es, that they who have written of justice and policy in general do all invade each other, and
themselves, with contradiction. To reduce this doctrine to the rules and infallibility of reason, there is no
way, but first, to put such principles down for a foundation, as passion not mistrusting may not seek to
displace: And afterward to build thereon the truth of cases in the law of nature (which hitherto have been
built in the air) by degrees, till the whole be inexpugnable. Now (my Lord) the principles fit for such a
foundation, are those which I have heretofore acquainted your Lordship withal in private discourse; and
which, by mand I have here put into method. To examine cases thereby, between sovereign and
sovereign, or between sovereign and subject, I leave to them, that shall find leisure, and encouragement
thereto. For my part, I present this to your Lordship, for the true, and only foundation of such scienc