Original scientific paper

The Concept of Law in Gučetić's Political Philosophy

Marinko Šišak ; Hrvatski studiji, Zagreb, Hrvatska

Abstract

Nikola Gučetić, one of the most significant Croatian philosophers od the16th century, attempted to renew the classical ideal of the unity of politics and ethics in his works devoted to practical philosophy. This attempt takes its point of departure from Aristot1e's »Politics but also contains within itself a synthesis of other classical thinkers (especially Plato), the Roman tradition (especially Cicero), medieaval thinkers (Thomas Aquinas) and contemporary political thought (Patritius, Bodin and others). Analyzing all three sections of Aristotle's practical philosophy with equal emphasis, Gučetić simultaneously endeavours to dissolve this division into a single »philosophia practica universalis«.
The author in this text hopes to establish that Gučetić's theoretical attempt at founding the political community on classical principles resulted in normativism and the absolutization of law as the »rule and measure« of the constitution and maintanence of every political community. Through the concept of law as the highest Dorm in the community, Gučetić's political philosophy is considered in its entirely, together with its implied problems: the essence of politics and forms of government, soveriegnity, political dynamics and so on. Gučetić does not succeed in renewing the unity of politics and ethics in the original Greek sense, but rather modifies it in concordance with Christian theories of ethical action, and thus anticipates the modern conception of politics.

Keywords

Hrčak ID:

81956

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/81956

Publication date:

5.12.1994.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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