Recording-2025-03-13T15:39:40.826Z

Hobbes' Philosophy: Materialism, Mechanism, and Determinism

• Materialism: Hobbes posits that everything can be explained through material substances. There are no supernatural or dualistic concepts.

• Mechanism: Everything operates based on the interactions of its parts, with no opportunity for randomness or intervention from outside forces.

• Determinism: Every event or state, including human will, is determined by preceding events, akin to falling dominoes where one event leads inevitably to another.

The Passive View of Will

• Hobbes' framework implies a passive view of the will, where decisions are simply the result of various preceding pressures, much like dominoes falling in sequence.

• Passivity of Will: The will may seem reactive, responding merely to appetites and aversions as forces acting upon it, rather than actively chosen.

• Interpretative Conflict: There is tension between this passive view and interpretations of Hobbes that suggest a more active exercise of will.

The Problem and Its Solution

• Reconciliation Needed: The main problem Abazadeh discusses is how to reconcile the apparent passive view with an active view of the will that Hobbes might endorse.

• Reading Strategy: To understand philosophical texts, first identify the problem being addressed, such as reconciling passivity and activity in deliberation.

Deliberation According to Hobbes

• Hobbes suggests that deliberation involves competing appetites—forces pulling towards an action and pushing away from it.

• Example of Deliberation:

  • Consider craving spicy food:

    • Pull towards deliciousness (appetite)

    • Push due to knowledge of potential discomfort (aversion)

• The will, in Hobbes' view, is simply the final appetite that prevails after deliberation.

Abazadeh’s Argument

• Beyond Passive Interpretation: Abazadeh argues that viewing the will solely as the last appetite misrepresents Hobbes' more nuanced understanding.

• Connection of Cognitive States: Hobbes acknowledges that will arises from a complex interplay of cognitive states and opinions, not just appetitive responses.

• Intentionality of Mental States: Hobbes viewed all mental states—including passions, desires, and emotions—as intentional, meaning they represent something beyond mere reactions.

Cognitive Aspects of Passions

• Hobbes’ view includes recognition that every passion has a cognitive layer, meaning it is informed by underlying beliefs or judgments.

• Perceptual and Evaluative Theories of Emotion: These modern theories echo Hobbes, positing that emotions arise from perceptions of the world, not mere reactions.

Language and Reasoning in Deliberation

• Proposition-Based Reasoning: Linguistic elements allow individuals to represent thoughts and engage reasoning that surpasses direct experience.

• Reason Responsiveness: Hobbes' mechanisms can still support an active will if they include the capacity for reasoned responses.

• Cognitive Content: Thoughts carry content—e.g., beliefs about objects in the world—which influence decisions on an appetitive level.

Conclusion

• The interplay between mechanistic determinism and cognitive inputs means that while Hobbes’ views are deterministic, they still accommodate an active will which is responsive to reasoning and cognitive reflection on one’s desires and aversions.

Key Notes on Understanding Hobbes

• Strategies for Reading: Break down philosophical readings to identify the main problem and proposed solutions, enabling clearer understanding.

• Conceptual Framework: Hobbes’ deterministic materialism doesn’t negate the active role of reason and cognition in the exercise of the will, expanding the traditional interpretation of his views.