- Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) : Thomas Hobbes believed that the primary motive in human behavior is the seeking of pleasure and the avoidance of pain. For Hobbes, the function of government is to satisfy as many human needs as possible and to prevent humans from fighting with each other. Hobbes believed that all human activity which includes mental activity, could be reduced to atoms in motion, and this shows that Hobbes was a Materialist.