Original scientific paper
Philosophy of the City-State
Ljerka Schiffler
; Institut za filozofiju, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Abstract
Within the framerwork of the tradition of humanist historiography, philosophical discussion on the state and the best system, especially on a series of questions directly related to governing a state as well as a family, the »state in miniature«, can be conducted using two. typical approaches, two models: either as a futurological o outline, from the Platonic ideal through Plutarch's, Cicero's, Augustin's views through to Th. Morus and T. Campanella, fantastic visions of a golden age, or as anti-Utopian, in the framework of the real philosophy of history, where the Platonic ideal is mixed with many other concepts, particularly aimed against the authority of Plato and Aristotle. In the body of the Croatian philosophical heritage, elements of both models are present, a Utopian awareness and a theory of a community opposing classical theories of the state. Since they are faced with concrete sociopolitical entities and are taking part directly in the governing of a mate, some of the thinkers pose and resolve a series of practical issues (reasons for building cities, maintenance, economic, cultural, strategic, climatic and other aspects, architectural, artistic, even ecological), collecting and affirming .traditional and recent determinants for man, nature, man's environment and his position within it.
From Sretan Grad (Fortunate City) by F. Patritius (F. Petrić) in 1553, Deset dijaloga o povijesti (Ten Dialogues on History), 1560, Upravljanje porodicom (Governing a Family) by N. V. Gozze (N. V. Gučetić), 1589 and his Uređenje republika (Government of Republics) from 1591, to the ideas of Kotruljić, Monaldi, Vlačić, Dominis and Križanić, interest in issues of city and state, life in a community and the possibility of realizing the supreme human values are developed and completed. Along with ideas and dreams of political reform appear analysis of society, the political and economic governing of a city and systematic, critically based thought on man and society, and in this way the work of our thinkers becomes a subject of European philosophical dialogue, underway for centuries on the theme of the aforementioned issues.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
87501
URI
Publication date:
2.12.1985.
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