Q0061
“[In the state of nature, the life of man is] solitary, poor,…” — Thomas Hobbes (Leviathan, Ch. 13)
Verified English quotation. Primary source: Leviathan, Ch. 13. Theme: nature.
English
[In the state of nature, the life of man is] solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.
Source and attribution
The archive attributes this English wording to Leviathan, Ch. 13 and files it under Social Contract Theory. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
About Thomas Hobbes
Thomas Hobbes (1588–1679) was the English philosopher of absolutist sovereignty and mechanistic psychology, author of Leviathan (1651). Tutor and associate of aristocratic families, he weathered Civil War exile in Paris and scientific debate with Boyle’s circle.
How to read this passage
Nature may mean physical cosmos, living world, human nature, or a normative standard of what ought to be. Presocratics, Daoists, Stoics, and modern environmental thinkers share the word while disagreeing about its force. This passage enters that discussion through nature, order, human nature.
Concepts in this quote
- Nature
- Philosophy quotes about nature ask what the cosmos is, how humans belong in it, and whether “natural” can guide ethics or politics.
- Order
- Order names cosmos, ritual, law, and the patterned stability that makes shared life possible—or oppressive.
- Human Nature
- Human Nature appears in this archive as a live philosophical concern—not a slogan. These verified English passages show how thinkers treat human nature as a problem of judgment, practice, or explanation.
How to cite this quotation
APA: Thomas Hobbes. (n.d.). [In the state of nature, the life of man is] solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short. In Philosophy Blind Box. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0061
MLA: Thomas Hobbes. “[In the state of nature, the life of….” Philosophy Blind Box, https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0061.
Chicago: Thomas Hobbes. “[In the state of nature, the life of….” Philosophy Blind Box. Accessed 2026. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0061.
Frequently asked questions
What is the source of the quotation “[In the state of nature, the life of…”?
The passage is attributed to Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan, Ch. 13. The archive attributes this English wording to Leviathan, Ch. 13 and files it under Social Contract Theory. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
What does Thomas Hobbes mean by nature?
Nature may mean physical cosmos, living world, human nature, or a normative standard of what ought to be. Presocratics, Daoists, Stoics, and modern environmental thinkers share the word while disagreeing about its force. This passage enters that discussion through nature, order, human nature.