Hobbes Reimagined: New Materialism, Ethics and Political Theory

This contribution to a symposium on Samantha Frost’s Lessons from a Materialist Thinker considers her innovative reinterpretation of Thomas Hobbes’s philosophy, situating him as a precursor of New Materialism. Frost’s reading emphasizes Hobbes’s conception of human beings as ‘thinking bodies’ inextricably intertwined with their environment. This materialist conception leads to a relational, peace-oriented ethic rooted in our interdependence. Frost’s interpretation is contrasted with those of Arash Abizadeh and Stephen Darwall. Abizadeh identifies two normative dimensions in Hobbes’s ethics: the prudential and the juridical. This perspective highlights the role of contractual obligations, which is less prominent in Frost’s interpretation. Darwall’s projectivist interpretation suggests that Hobbes saw ethical judgments as projections of our desires onto the world, which potentially challenges Frost’s materialist reading. While acknowledging the tensions between these interpretations, it is argued that Frost’s reinterpretation offers valuable insights for addressing contemporary ethical and political challenges.