Abstract

Spragens, who understands the political theorist to be "one who examines the implications for political order of a pattern of order which contains but transcends the realm of politics", investigates the structuring impact that the Galilean science had on Hobbes’ politics. Hobbes, of course, thought he had made a radical break with Aristotelian cosmology. Spragens, however, tries to show in what way Hobbes did not succeed in breaking with Aristotelian orthodoxy. Others, of course, have recognized the influence of Aristotle on Hobbes in this or that part of his thought. What is original about Spragens’ work is that he systematically explores the connection between Aristotelian and Hobbesian cosmology.