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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What is the second right of the sovereign?

2. What does Hobbes call a third law of nature?

3. What does Hobbes identify as the two ways one can hold sway over others?

4. How does Hobbes define a monarchy?

5. Why does Hobbes say that having friends, followers, and servants is the greatest power?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Hobbes say that people fear other people?

2. Why does Hobbes insist that the people cannot protest against a sovereign?

3. How does Hobbes say that a group may be classified as an author?

4. Describe briefly Hobbes' contract of a commonwealth.

5. How does Hobbes differentiate between command and counsel?

6. How does Hobbes define justice?

7. How does Hobbes say people reason?

8. How does Hobbes illustrate what he calls compound imagination?

9. How does Hobbes identify skepticism in regards to belief?

10. How does Hobbes say competition comes into human relations?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay about Hobbes' obvious preference for a monarchy but lumps all types of sovereignty together in his book. In this essay discuss Hobbes as either a consummate diplomat or a political opportunist. This is not verifiable historically and will be your opinion only after reading his book.

Essay Topic 2

Write a paper on the effectiveness of punishments to control a commonwealth. How has that been carried to unreasonable extreme by such regimes as Saddam Hussein in Iraq? What, in your opinion, are the most effective punishments?

Essay Topic 3

In Hobbes' political philosophy, the only valid reason for taking up arms against a sovereign is for self protection. Write your paper based on Hitler's taking over Germany and the plight of the Jews and other minorities his persecuted. Hobbes' theory is that the people thus under such a sovereign are constrained to obey the laws of the sovereign first.

(see the answer keys)

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