# Leviathan — Chapters explained

> Chapter companions for Leviathan by Thomas Hobbes.

- [Dedication](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/chapters/dedication.md): Thomas Hobbes dedicates his work 'Leviathan' to Mr. Francis Godolphin, honoring his deceased brother Sidney Godolphin and explaining his intent to navigate between excessive liberty and excessive authority in advancing c
- [Leviathan](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/chapters/leviathan.md): The opening of Hobbes's Leviathan introduces the work's central concern: the matter, form, and power of a commonwealth, both ecclesiastical and civil. It sets the stage for a systematic inquiry into human nature, the soc
- [Part I: Of Man](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/chapters/part-i-of-man.md): Hobbes introduces his philosophical anthropology, beginning with sensation and imagination, then moving to the passions, speech, reason, and the voluntary motions that drive human action. He lays the groundwork for under
- [I: Of Sense](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/chapters/i-of-sense.md): Hobbes begins his examination of human thought by analyzing sense perception. He argues that all conceptions originate from sensory experience, where external objects press upon bodily organs, causing motions that produc
- [Of Imagination](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/chapters/ii-of-imagination.md): Hobbes defines imagination as 'decaying sense,' explaining how sensory impressions persist and fade over time. He distinguishes between simple and compound imagination, discusses dreams as products of bodily motions, and

> 49 more chapter companions — [open a free preview](https://www.betterreads.dev/reader?bookId=leviathan_se_1515kb&preview=1) to unlock the rest.

- [III: Of the Consequence or Train of Imaginations](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/chapters/iii-of-the-consequence-or-train-of-imaginations.md)
- [Of Speech](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/chapters/iv-of-speech.md)
- [Of Reason and Science](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/chapters/v-of-reason-and-science.md)
- [VI: Of the Interior Beginnings of Voluntary Motions; Commonly Called the Passions; and the Speeches by Which They Are Expressed](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/chapters/vi-of-the-interior-beginnings-of-voluntary-motions-commonly-called-the-passions-and-the-speeches-by-which-they-are-expressed.md)
- [VII: Of the Ends, or Resolutions of Discourse](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/chapters/vii-of-the-ends-or-resolutions-of-discourse.md)
- [VIII: Of the Virtues Commonly Called Intellectual, and Their Contrary Defects](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/chapters/viii-of-the-virtues-commonly-called-intellectual-and-their-contrary-defects.md)
- [Of the Several Subjects of Knowledge](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/chapters/ix-of-the-several-subjects-of-knowledge.md)
- [X: Of Power, Worth, Dignity, Honour, and Worthiness](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/chapters/x-of-power-worth-dignity-honour-and-worthiness.md)
- [Of the Difference of Manners](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/chapters/xi-of-the-difference-of-manners.md)
- [XII: Of Religion](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/chapters/xii-of-religion.md)
- [XIII: Of the Natural Condition of Mankind as Concerning Their Felicity and Misery](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/chapters/xiii-of-the-natural-condition-of-mankind-as-concerning-their-felicity-and-misery.md)
- [Of the First and Second Natural Laws, and of Contracts](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/chapters/xiv-of-the-first-and-second-natural-laws-and-of-contracts.md)
- [XV: Of Other Laws of Nature](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/chapters/xv-of-other-laws-of-nature.md)
- [Of Persons, Authors, and Things Personated](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/chapters/xvi-of-persons-authors-and-things-personated.md)
- [Part II: Of Commonwealth](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/chapters/part-ii-of-commonwealth.md)
- [Of the Causes, Generation, and Definition of a Commonwealth](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/chapters/xvii-of-the-causes-generation-and-definition-of-a-commonwealth.md)
- [Of the Rights of Sovereigns by Institution](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/chapters/xviii-of-the-rights-of-sovereigns-by-institution.md)
- [XIX: Of the Several Kinds of Commonwealth by Institution, and of Succession to the Sovereign Power](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/chapters/xix-of-the-several-kinds-of-commonwealth-by-institution-and-of-succession-to-the-sovereign-power.md)
- [XX: Of Dominion Paternal, and Despotical](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/chapters/xx-of-dominion-paternal-and-despotical.md)
- [XXI: Of the Liberty of Subjects](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/chapters/xxi-of-the-liberty-of-subjects.md)
- [Of Systems Subject, Political, and Private](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/chapters/xxii-of-systems-subject-political-and-private.md)
- [XXIII: Of the Public Ministers of Sovereign Power](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/chapters/xxiii-of-the-public-ministers-of-sovereign-power.md)
- [Of the Nutrition and Procreation of a Commonwealth](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/chapters/xxiv-of-the-nutrition-and-procreation-of-a-commonwealth.md)
- [Of Counsel](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/chapters/xxv-of-counsel.md)
- [Of Civil Laws](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/chapters/xxvi-of-civil-laws.md)
- [Of Crimes, Excuses, and Extenuations](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/chapters/xxvii-of-crimes-excuses-and-extenuations.md)
- [Of Punishments and Rewards](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/chapters/xxviii-of-punishments-and-rewards.md)
- [Of Those Things That Weaken, or Tend to the Dissolution of a Commonwealth](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/chapters/xxix-of-those-things-that-weaken-or-tend-to-the-dissolution-of-a-commonwealth.md)
- [Of the Office of the Sovereign Representative](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/chapters/xxx-of-the-office-of-the-sovereign-representative.md)
- [Of the Kingdom of God by Nature](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/chapters/xxxi-of-the-kingdom-of-god-by-nature.md)
- [Part III: Of a Christian Commonwealth](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/chapters/part-iii-of-a-christian-commonwealth.md)
- [Of the Principles of Christian Politics](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/chapters/xxxii-of-the-principles-of-christian-politics.md)
- [XXXIII: Of the Number, Antiquity, Scope, Authority, and Interpreters of the Books of Holy Scripture](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/chapters/xxxiii-of-the-number-antiquity-scope-authority-and-interpreters-of-the-books-of-holy-scripture.md)
- [XXXIV: Of the Signification of Spirit, Angel, and Inspiration in the Books of Holy Scripture](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/chapters/xxxiv-of-the-signification-of-spirit-angel-and-inspiration-in-the-books-of-holy-scripture.md)
- [Of the Signification in Scripture of Kingdom of God, of Holy, Sacred, and Sacrament](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/chapters/xxxv-of-the-signification-in-scripture-of-kingdom-of-god-of-holy-sacred-and-sacrament.md)
- [XXXVI: Of the Word of God, and of Prophets](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/chapters/xxxvi-of-the-word-of-god-and-of-prophets.md)
- [XXXVII: Of Miracles, and Their Use](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/chapters/xxxvii-of-miracles-and-their-use.md)
- [XXXVIII: Of the Signification in Scripture of Eternal Life, Hell, Salvation, the World to Come, and Redemption](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/chapters/xxxviii-of-the-signification-in-scripture-of-eternal-life-hell-salvation-the-world-to-come-and-redemption.md)
- [Of the Signification in Scripture of the Word Church](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/chapters/xxxix-of-the-signification-in-scripture-of-the-word-church.md)
- [XL: Of the Rights of the Kingdom of God, in Abraham, Moses, the High Priests, and the Kings of Judah](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/chapters/xl-of-the-rights-of-the-kingdom-of-god-in-abraham-moses-the-high-priests-and-the-kings-of-judah.md)
- [Of the Office of Our Blessed Saviour](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/chapters/xli-of-the-office-of-our-blessed-saviour.md)
- [Of Power Ecclesiastical](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/chapters/xlii-of-power-ecclesiastical.md)
- [XLIII: Of What Is Necessary for a Man’s Reception Into the Kingdom of Heaven](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/chapters/xliii-of-what-is-necessary-for-a-man-s-reception-into-the-kingdom-of-heaven.md)
- [Part IV: Of the Kingdom of Darkness](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/chapters/part-iv-of-the-kingdom-of-darkness.md)
- [Of Spiritual Darkness, from Misinterpretation of Scripture](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/chapters/xliv-of-spiritual-darkness-from-misinterpretation-of-scripture.md)
- [Of Demonology, and Other Relics of the Religion of the Gentiles](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/chapters/xlv-of-demonology-and-other-relics-of-the-religion-of-the-gentiles.md)
- [XLVI: Of Darkness from Vain Philosophy and Fabulous Traditions](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/chapters/xlvi-of-darkness-from-vain-philosophy-and-fabulous-traditions.md)
- [Of the Benefit That Proceedeth from Such Darkness, and to Whom It Accrueth](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/chapters/xlvii-of-the-benefit-that-proceedeth-from-such-darkness-and-to-whom-it-accrueth.md)
- [A Review, and Conclusion](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/chapters/a-review-and-conclusion.md)

HTML index: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/chapters