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On The Relationship Between The Theory Of State And The Theology In "Leviathan"

Posted on:2015-09-22Degree:MasterType:Thesis
Country:ChinaCandidate:C J LiangFull Text:PDF
GTID:2296330467967802Subject:Legal theory
Abstract/Summary:PDF Full Text Request
If you wish to truly understand the whole “Leviathan”, you could not be confused by itsstructure, considering that the third and the fourth part (the Theology) is only thesupplementary argument of the first and second part (the Theory of State). For the theologicaltheory actually implies prerequisite for establishment of the theory of state. In order to revealthe hidden relationship between them, we need to analyze the theory of state and theologyitself firstly.The first part of this paper mainly introduces the ideological background of “Leviathan”。The second part of this paper mainly makes an assay of the theory of state in “Leviathan”.By analyzing the entire logical process of its theory of state, we can find that Hobbes’s theoryof state is entirely a product of rational thinking, its content is purely personal: the cause,materials, methods and purposes of the establishment of the state completely belong tohumanbeing, so is the power of the state to maintain.The third part of this paper mainly analyzes the Theology in “Leviathan”, and discussesthe relationship between theological theory and the theory of state. In the third and the fourpart of “Leviathan”, Hobbes went against substantive dualism and the dualism of power intraditional theological theory in virtue of the “Bible”, so as to maintain the integrity andabsoluteness of state power; at the same time, he also made a new explanation to the hell,eternal punishment, heaven, eternal life, so that people can be completely answerable to thesovereign. These, as we can see, is a necessary complement to the theory of state. However,what Hobbes has done is beyond that. Hobbes secretly guided readers to completely negatethe “Bible” itself at the same time he used the “Bible”. The reason why Hobbes did so is thatthe “Bible” and the Christianity represents such a view: human cannot establish and maintainproper good social order by its own reason, while only through the enlightenment, by thepower of God, people can do this. Obviously, if Hobbes did not thoroughly criticize the viewfirstly, his theory of the state which is obtained via completely rational thinking could not beestablished.The reason why Hobbes was able to reject Christianity completely is that he held anatheistic view of the universe, also he believed that human beings can construct a completehuman civilization: a man-made, rather than a given Garden of Eden on its own strength in a fundamentally incomprehensible natural world. The manufacture of Leviathan is the crucialfirst step of this great human case.
Keywords/Search Tags:“Leviathan”, the Theory of State, the Theology, SupplementaryArgument, Premise Demonstration
PDF Full Text Request
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