[hist-analytic] Hobbesian

[Jlsperanza at aol.com]

In a message dated 1/9/2010 1:33:27 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
Baynesr at comcast.net writes:
Baker and Hacking are superb philosophers. Grice  is discussed at 
length by David Lewis. I hope to get to that. As you know, I  accept 
much of what Grice says on meaning, and his use of intention and  
expectation in the context of explicating the notion is a remarkably  
original and insightful move. 

Consider what Rawls says about Hobbes:  

"...in my own view and that of many others Hobbes's _Leviathan_ 
is  the greatest single work of political thought in the English 
language."  (Lectures on the History of Political Philosophy, 
Harvard, 2007, p. 23)  

====

Oops. The mention of not mentioning countries sort of scares  me. For 
wasn't Hobbes only concerned about the political situation in England  with the 
Charles I and the Charles II? --
 
Anyway, Hobbes is indeed great, and so are, as you say, both Hacking and  
Baker, and a few of other list-members too -- even if I should not go on  
mentioning them!
 
--- Oddly, Hobbes's view reported by Hacking rests on his "Computatio sive  
logica", rather than his "Leviathan", I think. I used to consult 
Molesworth's  edition of the English works of Hobbes, but much of what he said he did 
say in  Latin. I recall having to study "History of Philosophy in England" 
technically  and getting a bit upset by Sorley (the author of such a book, a 
Scot) in  strictly starting the thing with the _English_ language, when much 
of the  earlier modern philosophy, in political philosophy, or other, was 
conducted in  Latin!
 
--- I found J. F. Bennett -- another superb philosopher -- helping me  
understand (as Hacking did vis a vis Hobbes) the Gricean basis in Locke. I never 
 saw a detailed commentary of the interlocking of intentions in the work of 
Locke  other than in Bennett's exegesis on this admirable empiricist 
philosopher who  possibly cannot be understood without Hobbes, either.
 
Cheers,
 
J. L. Speranza
   for the Grice Club