The Limits of Reason in Hobbes's Commonwealth

<div><br/><p><i><span lang=EN-US>The Limits of Reason in Hobbes's Commonwealth </span></i><span lang=EN-US>explores Hobbes's attempt to construct a political philosophy of enduring peace on the foundation of the rational individual.<span> </span>Hobbes's rational individual, motivated by self-preservation, obeys the laws of the commonwealth and thus is conceived as the model citizen.<span> </span>Yet Hobbes intimates that there are limits to what such an actor will do for peace, and that the glory-seeker - "too rarely found to be presumed on" - is capable of a generosity that is necessary for political longevity.<span> </span>Michael P. Krom identifies this as a fundamental contradiction in Hobbes's system: he builds the commonwealth on the rational actor, yet acknowledges the need for the irrational glory-seeker.<span> </span></p><br/><p><span lang=EN-US></span></p><span lang=EN-US>Krom argues that Hobbes's attempt to establish a "king of the proud" fails to overcome the limits of reason and the precariousness of politics.<span> </span>This book synthesizes recent work on Hobbes's understanding of glory and political stability, challenging the view that Hobbes succeeds in incorporating glory-seekers into his political theory and explores the implications of this for contemporary political philosophy after Rawls.</span></span></div>>

Michael P. Krom is Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Saint Vincent College, USA.