In Hobbes's Theory of the Will, Jurgen Overhoff reveals the religious, ethical, and political consequences of Thomas Hobbes's doctrine of volition. The author gracefully describes how Hobbes's thought was governed by assumptions based firmly in Galilean natural philosophy and orthodox Protestant theology. Overhoff also demonstrates how his subject used materialist eschatology and an absolutist political theory to resolve the social and ethical predicaments that coincided with these assumptions. Finally, Overhoff provides a chronological study of the numerous philosophical, theological, religious and (...) political aspects of Hobbes's idea of the will and situates Hobbes's doctrine within the context of the most important responses and objections put forward by his critics. (shrink)

Die "Werke des Philosophen von Sanssouci / OEuvres du Philosophe de Sans-Souci" sind ein außergewöhnliches historisches Dokument und ein Manifest der praktischen Philosophie der Aufklärung. Sie beinhalten eine aufschlussreiche Auswahl von Gedichten aus der Feder Friedrichs des Großen, die er selbst nach sehr persönlichen Kriterien zusammenstellte und 1752 in einer winzigen Auflage drucken ließ. Diese Gedichtsammlung hatte von Anfang an einen sehr privaten und geheimnisvollen Charakter: Ein Philosoph auf dem Thron schreibt Gedichte! Fern von allen metaphysischen Entwürfen zielen die Verse (...) auf eine konkrete und aufgeklärte Lebensführung ab. In Oden und Episteln und einem Lehrgedicht setzt sich Friedrich mit neuen wissenschaftlichen Erkenntnissen und philosophischen Systemen auseinander. Als der Gedichtband 1760, mitten im Siebenjährigen Krieg, gegen den Willen des Autors durch Raubdrucke in ganz Europa bekannt wurde, kam es zum Skandal und Papst Clemens XIII. setzte die Gedichte des preußischen Königs sogar auf den Index. Dieser Band vermittelt wichtige Einblicke in den Denkhorizont des "roi-philosophe" von Sanssouci. (shrink)

Since a comprehensive assessment of the ideological reasons, authenticity and role of Hobbes's explicit adherence to Luther's teachings is missing up to this day, the present essay attempts to address the important issue of Hobbes's Lutheranism afresh in three successive steps. First of all, it is necessary to make out at what particular time and under which specific circumstances Hobbes made the most substantial use of Luther's theology. Only if the historical context of Hobbes's most emphatic display of Lutheran doctrines (...) becomes firmly established can we hope to understand what the strategical point of his Lutheranism might have been. Secondly, it is indispensable for an evaluation of the authenticity of Hobbes's Lutheranism to explore whether Hobbes quoted Luther correctly or whether he, perhaps deliberatedly, misrepresented Luther's teachings to further his own cause. Thirdly, a comprehensive appraisal of Hobbes's allegiance to Lutheran doctrines ought not to overlook how his coevals reacted to his claims. Since, among his contemporaries, both philosophers and theologians responded to his Lutheranism in a highly critical manner, the most relevant of their opinions have to be carefully examined. (shrink)

How did humans respond to the eighteenth-century discovery of countless new species of animals? This book explores the gamut of human-animal interactions: from love to cultural identifications, moral reflections, philosophical debates, classification systems, mechanical copies, insults and literary creativity.