It may seem
strange to some man, that has not well weighed these things; that Nature should thus
dissociate, and render man apt to invade, and destroy one another: and he may therefore,
not trusting to this Inference, made from the Passions, desire perhaps to have the same
confirmed by Experience. Let him therefore consider with himselfe, when taking a journey,
he arms himselfe, and seeks to go well accompanied; when going to sleep, he locks his
dores; when even in his house he locks his chests; and this when he knows there bee Lawes,
and publike Officers, armed, to revenge all injuries shall bee done him; what opinion he
has of his fellow subjects, when he rides armed; of his fellow Citizens, when he locks his
dores; and of his children, and servantes, when he locs his chests. Does he not there as
much accuse mankind by his actions, as I do by my words?
Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan, I, xiii |
Puede
resultar extraño para un hombre, que no ha sopesado bien estas cosas, que la naturaleza
disocie así a los hombres y les haga capaces de invadirse y destruirse mutuamente; y es
posible que, por tanto, quiera no confiando en esta inferencia, derivada de las
pasiones confirmar la misma por la experiencia. Reflexione entonces que va armado y
procura ir bien acompañado cuando viaja, que cierra sus puertas cuando se va a dormir y
que, incluso dentro de su casa, cierra con llave sus arcones, aun a sabiendas de que hay
leyes y funcionarios públicos armados para resarcirle de cuantos daños le hagan, qué
opinión tiene de sus conciudadanos cuando cabalga armado y atranca sus puertas, y de sus
hijos y sirvientes cuando echa el cerrojo a sus arcones. ¿No acusa así a la humanidad
con sus acciones como yo lo hago con mis palabras?
Thomas Hobbes, Leviatán, I, xiii |