As the contemporary philosopher J. J. C. Smart writes, “By ‘materialism’ I mean the theory that there is nothing in the world over and above those entities which are postulated by physics. Thus I do...

As the contemporary philosopher J. J. C. Smart writes, “By ‘materialism’ I mean the theory that there is nothing in the world over and above those entities which are postulated by physics. Thus I do not hold materialism to be wedded to the billiardball physics of the nineteenth century. The less visualizable particles of modern physics count as matter [for me].” In what respects is Smart’s materialism similar to Hobbes’? In what respects does it differ? Does Smart’s materialism have any philosophical implications that are radically different from Hobbes’?