--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Hobbes is not an absolutist precisely…" description: "\"“Hobbes is not an absolutist precisely because he is an authoritarian. His scepticism about the power of reasoning, which applied no less to the ‘artif..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ad/efraim-podoksik-83393_philosophy_hobbes-is-not-an-absolutist-precisely-be_1095869.jpg" --- # Hobbes is not an absolutist precisely because he is an… ![“Hobbes is not an absolutist precisely because he is an authoritarian. His scepticism about the power of reasoning, which applied no less to the ‘artificial reason’ of the Sovereign than to the reasoning of the natural man, together with the rest of his individualism, separate him from the…” quote by Efraim Podoksik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ad/efraim-podoksik-83393_philosophy_hobbes-is-not-an-absolutist-precisely-be_1095869.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ad/efraim-podoksik-83393_philosophy_hobbes-is-not-an-absolutist-precisely-be_1095869.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ad/efraim-podoksik-83393_philosophy_hobbes-is-not-an-absolutist-precisely-be_1095869.jpg) > ““Hobbes is not an absolutist precisely because he is an authoritarian. His scepticism about the power of reasoning, which applied no less to the ‘artificial reason’ of the Sovereign than to the reasoning of the natural man, together with the rest of his individualism, separate him from the rationalist dictators of his or any age. Indeed, Hobbes, without being himself a liberal, had in him more of the philosophy of liberalism than most of its professed defenders”” Efraim Podoksik ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Hobbes rejects absolute rule not by endorsing authoritarianism but by doubting rational justification for sovereign power, aligning him more with liberal ideas than typical dictators. **In simple terms:** Hobbes doubts rational sovereign power, leaning toward liberalism. Key Takeaway Recognize nuance in political labels. Themes political theory liberalism authoritarianism philosophy Mood analytical critical Type philosophical theoretical When to use this quote - academic debate - policy analysis - education - public discourse Key Concepts sovereign authority individualism skepticism Questions to Reflect On - How does Hobbes’ skepticism affect modern governance? - Can authoritarianism coexist with liberal principles? A Different Perspective His view may be overstated without broader context. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) ## Related quotes > [Calvin: The more you know, the harder it is to take decisive action. 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That was considered completely normal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-rich/i-never-felt-ostracized-or-made-to-feel-strange-by-obsessing-over-the/) [Simon Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-rich/) > [“In Hobbes’ state of nature, when a male individual conquers (contracts with) a female individual he becomes her sexual master and she becomes his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carole-pateman/in-hobbes-state-of-nature-when-a-male-individual-conquers-contracts/) [Carole Pateman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carole-pateman/) > [A day can really slip by when you're deliberately avoiding what you're supposed to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-watterson/a-day-can-really-slip-by-when-you-re-deliberately-avoiding-what-you/) [Bill Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-watterson/) > [Aristotle thought that humans are rational animals and Hobbes thought that we act on the basis of rational self-interest. If only! 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It's not that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-jamieson/aristotle-thought-that-humans-are-rational-animals-and-hobbes-thought/) [Dale Jamieson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-jamieson/) Browse all 101 Hobbes quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Hobbes is not an absolutist precisely because he is an authoritarian. His scepticism about the power of reasoning, which applied no less to the ‘artificial reason’ of the Sovereign than to the reasoning of the natural man, together with the rest of his individualism, separate him from the rationalist dictators of his or any age. 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