Hobbes against friendship: the modern marginalisation of an ancient political concept

Research output: Book/ReportBook

Abstract

This book explores why and how Thomas Hobbes – the 17th century founder of political science -- contributed to the modern marginalisation of ‘friendship’, a concept that stood in the foreground of ancient moral and political thought and that is currently undergoing a revival. The study shows that Hobbes did not question the occurrence of friendship; rather, he rejected friendship as an explanatory and normative principle of peace and cooperation. Hobbes’s stance was influential because it captured the spirit of modernity- its individualism, nominalism, practical scepticism, and materialism. Hobbes’s legacy has a bearing on contemporary debates about civic, international and global friendship.
Original languageEnglish
Place of PublicationCham
PublisherPalgrave Macmillan
Number of pages168
ISBN (Electronic)9783030953157
ISBN (Print)9783030953140
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Apr 2022

Publication series

NameInternational political theory
ISSN (Print)2662-6039
ISSN (Electronic)2662-6047

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Hobbes against friendship: the modern marginalisation of an ancient political concept'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this