The Fear of Death and the Longing for Immortality: Hobbes and Thucydides on Human Nature and the Problem of Anarchy

Ahrensdorf, Peter J.

doi:10.2307/2585832

Cited by 33 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…Although Hobbes is generally thought of as a pessimistic thinker because of his famously bleak view of the natural human condition, his pessimism sits side by side with a tremendous optimism (cf. Ahrensdorf 2000, 579–87; Herbert 1989, 12, 61; Kraynak 1990, 28–31, 113, 125; Strauss 1953, 175–77). In a sense, these are even two sides of the same coin, because it is on the basis of the very fearfulness of small men, shivering at the prospect of violent death, that Hobbes, the “very able architect” ( Leviathan , 498), thought that he could design a structure more solid than any built before.…”

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confidence: 99%

“Of Darkness from Vain Philosophy”: Hobbes's Critique of the Classical Tradition

Stauffer

2016

Am Polit Sci Rev

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The early modern revolution in political philosophy not only transformed political philosophy itself; it also played a crucial role in shaping the character of modern politics. This article contributes to our understanding of that revolution through an examination of Thomas Hobbes's critique of the classical tradition. Although it is well known that Hobbes was a critic of that tradition, the details of his critique have not been sufficiently uncovered. Hobbes's key target was Aristotle, whom he regarded as the most important source of the tradition he opposed. Hobbes's critique of Aristotle consists of two main lines of argument—one moral-political, the other metaphysical—that ultimately prove to be connected. An examination of Hobbes's twofold critique can help us understand what was at stake in the reorientation of political philosophy that eventually gave rise to modern liberalism.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“Of Darkness from Vain Philosophy”: Hobbes's Critique of the Classical Tradition

Stauffer

2016

Am Polit Sci Rev

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“…Above all, the analysis of the scientific literature shows 2 main contexts of exploring and characterizing thanatic anxiety. The first one contains theoretical considerations on the fear of death in philosophical [7][8][9][10][11][12], theological [13], psychological [14][15][16][17][18][19][20], anthropological, and cultural [17,[20][21][22][23][24][25] literature. Furthermore, although these analyses in the original version refer to the dying person, it seems that these characteristics can also be extrapolated to other groups, including help workers.…”

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confidence: 99%

Fear of death in medical professionals and social workers

Binnebesel¹

2021

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This study aimed to learn how professional helpers perceive or think about the fear of their death, its causes, and ways of dealing with it by employees in professional assisting facilities. In 2010-2014, the authors carried out an international questionnaire-based research project on the perception of fear of death in the context of thanatopedagogical relational replacement therapy on 791 medical care professionals and social workers. Regardless of demographic factors, the respondents pointed to loneliness and fear as the aspects of death in a similar way. Most of the respondents admitted the abandonment of relatives and relatives' suffering due to their death. There are significant differences between nationalities in some types of fear, such as the fear of being buried alive or leaving matters unfinished. Anxiety related to the perception of death is an existential experience that can occur among medical professionals and social workers.

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“…A trajetória humana está, para o pensador, continuamente envolvida neste ciclo, entretanto, para ele, a própria história parece ser também o instrumento usado para a quebra desse ciclo inevitável da natureza (AHRENSDORF 2000). Por meio da instrução, do aprendizado sobre a guerra, seria possível, durante certo tempo, romper o ciclo, já que alertaria o homem do inevitável perigo que corre.…”

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Thomas Hobbes como historiador: a Ciência civil na historiografia

Vogt

2017

Hist. Historiogr.

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ResumoEste estudo procura compreender, em linhas gerais, o sentido da história para Thomas Hobbes. Embora ele seja principalmente um pensador preocupado com sua Ciência civil, ele também fez da história objeto de estudo e análise, chegando a escrever uma obra sobre a Revolução Inglesa. Partindo tanto do entendimento da história como mestra da vida como o sentido do passado para o filósofo, por meio da reflexão sobre seus contatos com a narrativa histórica, procura-se demonstrar o sentido que a historiografia teve para um autor que não se via como historiador, embora tenha feito dela veículo de atuação política. Procura-se demonstrar o sentido que a história como magistra vitae adquiriu em seu contexto e de que forma ela relaciona-se com a concepção de natureza humana que transparece no pensamento maior de Hobbes. Entre a história como ensino e como saída para o estado de natureza é conduzido esse trabalho. Palavras-chaveHistória das ideias; Thomas Hobbes; Historia magistra vitae. AbstractThis 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.

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The Fear of Death and the Longing for Immortality: Hobbes and Thucydides on Human Nature and the Problem of Anarchy

Cited by 33 publications

References 28 publications

“Of Darkness from Vain Philosophy”: Hobbes's Critique of the Classical Tradition

“Of Darkness from Vain Philosophy”: Hobbes's Critique of the Classical Tradition

Fear of death in medical professionals and social workers

Thomas Hobbes como historiador: a Ciência civil na historiografia

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