Talking wolves

by Anat Biletzki

Talking Wolves makes the point of relating Hobbes's views on language to his views on politics. Latter-day discussions of Thomas Hobbes's philosophy of language lag far behind those of his political and moral philosophy; this book supports the claim that our understanding of both stands to profit from such an enterprise. A new reading of Hobbes on language is presented - namely, that Hobbes's theories of language are 'pragmatic' in the modern sense of the word - language in use, language in action. Beyond the linguistic focus on Hobbes's works, this perspective is relevant and important for a new and richer understanding of his political and moral studies. Various moral, social and political issues arise in conjunction with this novel view of language: rhetoric, religious interpretation, and the 'science' of politics are working examples. Students and scholars of both political philosophy and the philosophy of language will find this study of interest.