Thomas Hobbes, one of the philosophers from the enlightenment period. Hobbes spent most of his years in exile, because of governments that would not accept his philosophies. Hobbes is one of the most influential philosophers of his time and in today's society. Hobbes philosophy revolves around politics and ethics from a naturalistic basis of self-interest. Hobbes thought that since people are fearful and predatory they must submit to an absolute power of the state. People sacrifice their freedom to give to an absolute leader. Hobbes had three main philosophies that he studied throughout his life that revolved around this philosophy. The state of human nature, the state of human nature is a state of war and the theory of absolutism. .
Hobbes philosophized, his philosophy where people are fearful and predatory and submit their freedom to an absolute authority is because of the time period to which Hobbes lived in. Hobbes lived most of his life in seventeenth century Britain, where the Royal monarchy was deteriorating. During this time the Royal monarchy was losing more and more of its power to make decisions for Great Britain. Reason for this is because the power was going to the Parliament, where decisions were made democratically by representatives of parties. Prior to Hobbes birth, in 1649 the parliament of Great Britain demonstrated their power by executing their King, Charles I. This showed the first major step to the deterioration of the Royal monarchy and to why Thomas Hobbes philosophized his philosophy, people are fearful and predatory, and submit their freedom to an absolute authority.
The State of human nature is the characteristics or qualities that make human beings different from anything else. Hobbes believed that human beings are naturally selfish, greedy, competitive, aggressive and anti-social. Since the British government was losing its absolute authority of having a monarchy Hobbes came up with a theory that you would have to consider what life would be like in a of human nature without a government? People would be their own judge, jury and executioner.