Final answer:
Thomas Hobbes' Leviathan illustrates his view that culture is reliant on the formation of a civil society through a social contract, as it creates the necessary conditions for cultural development by providing stability and security.
Step-by-step explanation:
Thomas Hobbes' Leviathan, first published in 1651, highlights his approach to culture through the social contract theory. Hobbes suggests that in a state of nature, without government, the life of man would be "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short." There would be no place for culture, arts, or industry due to the constant fear and danger of violent death. To escape this anarchy, individuals enter into a social contract, surrendering some liberties in exchange for the security provided by an absolute sovereign. This government - the Leviathan - creates order, thereby enabling cultural development and the accumulation of knowledge.
In Hobbes' view, culture is dependent on the civil society that emerges from the social contract, allowing for stability, which lays the foundation for progress in arts, science, and industry. Without such a construct, societal advancement and cultural endeavors would be impossible as individuals remain preoccupied with mere survival.