Thomas Hobbes
Thomas Hobbes
Thomas Hobbes
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• <strong>Hobbes</strong> says that a simple imagination is one like a horse or a man<br />
• A compounded imagination would be if we conjoined together man and horse and came up with<br />
the idea of a Centaur ( Part horse and part man )<br />
8 Imagination and Dreams<br />
• <strong>Hobbes</strong> says that “ The imaginations of them that sleep are those we call<br />
dreams.”<br />
• <strong>Hobbes</strong> believed that if the body was cold a fearful dream would occur<br />
and if the body was overheated it would cause anger and an associated<br />
enemy might be in the dream.<br />
9 Dreams and Superstition<br />
• <strong>Hobbes</strong> believes that superstition and beliefs in fictitious creatures may be a result<br />
from people not being able to distinguish dreams from apparent visions and also<br />
things like fairies, ghosts and goblins.<br />
• He criticizes the schools for not eliminating these superstitions and in some instances<br />
taking advantage of the ignorance of the masses.<br />
10 Signs and Language<br />
• Understanding, according to <strong>Hobbes</strong>, is not only his will but also involves<br />
his concepts and thoughts.<br />
• A train of thoughts is a succession of ideas as one thought leads to<br />
another. <strong>Hobbes</strong> calls this Mental Discourse.<br />
• Mental Discourse is of two sorts.<br />
11 Mental Discourse<br />
• There are two kinds of mental discourse<br />
• Unguided thoughts are one’s that are ones that lack a design or end state<br />
• These are common with persons that let their mind wander<br />
• Regulated thoughts have a directing desire and a definite design.<br />
• These kinds of thoughts often become strong and permanent<br />
12 Mental Discourse<br />
13 Regulated Thoughts<br />
• <strong>Hobbes</strong> explains that when the mind is regulated by design it can be generalized as<br />
seeking. The train of regulated thoughts also can be divided into two kinds<br />
• Two Kinds of regulated thoughts<br />
• When we reason from effect to the cause<br />
• This is common to man and beast<br />
• When we reason from cause to effect<br />
• <strong>Hobbes</strong> says this type of thought is found only in man<br />
14 Seeking and Causation<br />
15 <strong>Hobbes</strong> On Time<br />
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