Original scientific paper
Philosophers and Philosophy Sources in Kotruljević ’s Writing on the Art of Trade
Davor Balić
orcid.org/0000-0002-4656-6750
; Odsjek za filozofiju, Filozofski fakultet, Sveučilište Josipa Jurja Strossmayera u Osijeku, Lorenza Jagera 9, HR-31000 Osijek
Abstract
In his writing on the art of trade, which he finalised in 1458, and whose content we can learn about from the three published versions of transcripts discovered up to this point (Della merca¬tura et del mercante perfetto from 1573; Il libro dell’arte dl mercatura from 1990; Libro del arte dela mercatura from 2009), the Renaissance thinker Benedikt Kotruljević from Dubrovnik also discussed the topics that belong to the field of philosophy, especially ethics and philosophy of law and politics. In the writing he referred to the attitudes of Greek philosophers (Pythagoras, Socrates, Diogenes, Plato, Aristotle, Teofrasto), Roman philosophers (Cicero, Seneca) and mediaevalphi-losophers (Augustine, Boethius, Avicenna, Hugh of Saint Victor, Averroes, Thomas Aquinas, Jean Buridan). In numerous cases he also referred to the titles of their works. For instance to the works written by Aristotle (De anima, Ethica Nicomachea, Politica), Cicero (De senectute, De re publlca), Seneca (Epistulae morales ad Lucilium),
Augustine (De doctrina Christiana, De civitate Del), Boethius (De consolatione philosophiae), Thomas Aquinas (Summa theologlae, Commentum in quatuor llbros Sententiarum magistri Petri Lombardl) and Jean Buridan (Quaestiones super octo llbros Politicorum Arlstotells).
By means of attitudes he assumed from the philosophers, more precisely from philosophy sources, in his writing Kotruljević attempted to strengthen his lessons about the kind of trade that will be based on ethical principles, as well as lessons on the subject that a tradesman should always adhere to moral standards. For this reason he discussed dispositions of virtue and justice, as well as trademan ’s trickery, perseverance, happiness, tranquility, generosity, moderation, marriage and marital obligations. Notes on trading which will be based on ethical principles and notes on virtues that need to characterize a tradesmen were inserted in each of the four books, thus indisputably proving philosophical orientation of the writing on the art of trade. In order to substantiate his doctrine, he most frequently followed the attitudes he assigned to Aristotle and Thomas Aquinas, whereas he was best acquainted with the content of two works of Thomas: with the content of Summa Theologlca and with the content of Thomas ’s interpretation of the four books Sententlae by Peter Lombard.
Keywords
Benedikt Kotruljević; the art of trade; philosophers; Arlstotle; Cicero; Seneca; Augustine; Thomas Aquinas; philosophy sources
Hrčak ID:
101062
URI
Publication date:
1.3.2013.
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