Agamben and Hobbes: Paradigm as Optical Device

Based on the hypothesis that Agamben's study of Hobbes remains underdeveloped, this research investigates the potential of Agamben's interpretation of Hobbesian thought. Chapter one will first investigate the current state of literature on this theme. We will then thoroughly analyze the second part of Stasis, zooming in on the discourse regarding the optical device that Agamben introduces to interpret Hobbes. This initial investigation of Stasis allows us to identify the intertwined aspects between that work and The Open. Consequently, in chapter two, we will investigate The Open on the basis of secular eschatology, the head, and optical devices. Finally, we conclude by illuminating how Agamben's reading of Hobbes possesses a uniqueness that cannot be reduced to his Schmittian interpretation. In conclusion, this research demonstrates the necessity of further examining the concept of the 'paradigm' within this framework, thereby uncovering the latent potential of Agamben's reading of Hobbes.