The English works of Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury, Volume 03 (of 11) — Thomas Hobbes — John Shaqi
The English works of Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury, Volume 03 (of 11)
Thomas Hobbes · en
Eloquence, with flattery, disposeth men to confide in them that have it;
because the former is seeming wisdom, the latter seeming kindness. Add
to them military reputation, and it disposeth men to adhere, and subject
themselves to those men that have them. The two former having given them
caution against danger from him; the latter gives them caution against
danger from others.
[Sidenote: And from ignorance of natural causes.]
Want of science, that is, ignorance of causes, disposeth, or rather
constraineth a man to rely on the advice, and authority of others. For
all men whom the truth concerns, if they rely not on their own, must
rely on the opinion of some other, whom they think wiser than
themselves, and see not why he should deceive them.
[Sidenote: And from want of understanding.]
Ignorance of the signification of words, which is want of understanding,
disposeth men to take on trust, not only the truth they know not; but
also the errors; and which is more, the nonsense of them they trust: for
neither error nor nonsense, can without a perfect understanding of
words, be detected.
From the same it proceedeth, that men give different names, to one and
the same thing, from the difference of their own passions: as they that
approve a private opinion, call it opinion; but they that mislike it,
heresy: and yet heresy signifies no more than private opinion; but has
only a greater tincture of choler.
From the same also it proceedeth, that men cannot distinguish, without
study and great understanding, between one action of many men, and many
actions of one multitude; as for example, between one action of all the
senators of Rome in killing Cataline, and the many actions of a number
of senators in killing Cæsar; and therefore are disposed to take for the
action of the people, that which is a multitude of actions done by a
multitude of men, led perhaps by the persuasion of one.
[Sidenote: Adherence to custom, from ignorance of the nature of right
and wrong.]