Thomas Hobbes believed in a materialistic and mechanistic view of human nature and society. According to him, human behavior is driven by "endeavours" or motions, which are either appetites (desires) or aversions (avoidances). People naturally seek what is good for them, defined as the object of their desire. Hobbes described the natural state of humans as one of equality in the ability to harm one another, which leads to competition, distrust, and a desire for glory. This creates a "state of nature," a condition without government where life is "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short," characterized by a "war of all against all." To escape this state of conflict and chaos, Hobbes believed individuals must form a social contract and submit to an absolute sovereign authority (a government or ruler) to maintain peace and security. In this contract, people relinquish some of their natural rights in exchange for protection and order. Hobbes argued that the sovereign must have absolute power and cannot be questioned, as this authority is necessary to prevent a return to the state of nature. Hobbes also developed a moral philosophy based on natural laws discovered through reason. These laws direct people to seek peace and cooperate, and they justify political obligation—accepting and obeying the sovereign to preserve social order and security. He believed that morality derives from this social contract and that without a government, there are no notions of right and wrong. In sum, Hobbes believed in:

• Materialism and mechanistic human psychology
• The natural equality and conflictual state of humans in a state of nature
• The necessity of an absolute sovereign for peace and order
• The social contract as a foundation of political authority and morality

His ideas are mainly presented in his work "Leviathan" and others on political philosophy.