An Isle Near Terra Australis Incognita: Henry Neville’s Mental Experiment and Political Philosophy of Thomas Hobbes

The paper analyzes the ideas of H. Neville’s philosophical novel “The Isle Pines”. scope research is to make sense its place within context Early Modern political philosophy, and especially linkage with Hobbesian theories human nature, sovereignty inevitable conflict engaging pre-political communities into bellum omnium contra omnes. Rethinking views on natural state Neville replaces his mechanical interpretation human’s passions behavioral patterns a historical perspective. Taking account contemporary ethnographical knowledge set mental experiment found out that trap before emergence was not as well lack social norms. We argue an attempt escape pessimism describe structures evolutionary proces