本計畫的焦點將放在探討懷疑主義(scepticism)與霍布斯之政治理論間的關係。猶如 Richard Tuck 所形容，懷疑主義是「十六世紀末期文藝復興的中心主題」。霍布斯的思想中究竟包含了多少懷疑主義的成分，也已經成為當代霍布斯研究裡面的一項重要主題。對於此一主題，大致可分成二種研究方向。一是將霍布斯視為一種「哲學體系的創始人」，試圖在他的「政治著作」與「非政治著作」中找出理論的一致性。另一種方法則是由Quentin Skinner 所提倡，將霍布斯置於「文藝復興文化中關於道德科學的一連串辯論」中所扮演的角色。如果我們把這些研究都當成一種敘事體(narrative)來閱讀，可以發現有二個不同的霍布斯：除了如同傳統上把霍布斯與同時代的哲學家並列，也可能將他列入文藝復興時代諷刺作家(satirist)之林。究竟Skinner 對霍布斯的詮釋是否否定了其中的懷疑主義成分？做為文學家的霍布斯與作為哲學家的霍布斯是否不能相容？是哲學的考慮還是文學的傳統締造了霍布斯的政治哲學？在本研究計畫中，申請人想要嘗試回答以上問題。
The purpose of this project is to explore the role of scepticism in Hobbes’s political theory. As Richard Tuck once described scepticism as ‘the central theme of the Renaissance in the late sixteenth century,’ this has been one among the most prominent topic in Hobbes’s studies today. One way to deal with this issue is to treat ‘Hobbes as the author of a philosophical system’ and tries to find some philosophical consistency among his writings. Another way, which is advanced by Quentin Skinner, tries to take him ‘as the contributor to a series of debates about the concept of scientia civilis within the Renaissance.’ Does Skinner’s interpretation cancel the sceptic elements in Hobbes’s political theory? Is the Hobbes as a satirist incompatible with the Hobbes as a philosopher? Is it the Hobbes as a satirist or the Hobbes as a philosopher who initiates his political theory? These are the central questions that this project wish to give answers to.
