The Rhetoric of Leviathan: Thomas Hobbes and the Politics of Cultural Transformation (Studies in Moral, Political, and Legal Philosophy) [Hardcover]

David Johnston (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0691077177 | ISBN-13: 978-0691077178 | Publication Date: December 1986

". . . a new Leviathan has sailed into view. . . . The Rhetoric of Leviathan presents an original and suggestive interpretation of Hobbes's political thought. Indeed, it is the best book on Hobbes in recent years, and, hopefully, it will help to redirect Hobbes scholars toward new paths of interpretive exploration. More importantly, it ought to be read by anyone interested in exploring "the ideological or cultural foundations of political power,' and the ways in which political theorists contribute to or seek to undermine those foundations." --Richard Ashcraft, Albion "With this lucid, perceptive, and original work, David Johnston . . . moves into the forefront of students of Hobbes." --Roger W. Smith, Perspective "The best writings on Hobbes have always been those that boldly sought to unify the warring elements in his thought. Professor Johnston has written a book belonging to this category. It is unquestionably essential reading for anyone seriously interested in Hobbes."--Timothy Fuller, International Hobbes Association Newsletter

Editorial Reviews

Review

. . . a new Leviathan has sailed into view. . . . The Rhetoric of Leviathan presents an original and suggestive interpretation of Hobbes's political thought. Indeed, it is the best book on Hobbes in recent years, and, hopefully, it will help to redirect Hobbes scholars toward new paths of interpretive exploration. More importantly, it ought to be read by anyone interested in exploring 'the ideological or cultural foundations of political power,' and the ways in which political theorists contribute to or seek to undermine those foundations. -- Richard Ashcraft, Albion



With this lucid, perceptive, and original work, David Johnston . . . moves into the forefront of students of Hobbes. -- Roger W. Smith, Perspective



The best writings on Hobbes have always been those that boldly sought to unify the warring elements in his thought. Professor Johnston has written a book belonging to this category. It is unquestionably essential reading for anyone seriously interested in Hobbes. -- Timothy Fuller, International Hobbes Association Newsletter
--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 258 pages
• Publisher: Princeton Univ Pr (December 1986)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0691077177
• ISBN-13: 978-0691077178
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #280,206 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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5 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Ideology of Rethoric, March 17, 2000

By 

Rogerio Dultra dos Santos - Teacher of Penal ... (Brazil) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Rhetoric of Leviathan (Paperback)

The Rhetoric of Leviathan is a deep study about the systematic construction of Thomas Hobbes's political philosophy. The author leaves of an unusual analysis of the theory of history of young Hobbes and sustains, differently of classics like Leo Strauss, that effective rupture doesn't exist in uncoiling of the historical thought for the scientific-philosophical thought. Both base on the causal idea. Johnston notices Hobbes as the ideologist that indeed was. It demonstrates that the objective of its political theory was to do the common, ignorant and irrational man, to accept the idea of the state of nature, rational indicator of the need of an organized State. He sees the rhetoric of the political theory of Hobbes as a technique of cultural transformation that objectified to impede the sedition and the civil war in the England of seventy century. A fantastic and essential book.