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Article: Political Philosophy
- Article from:
- Europe, 1450 to 1789: Encyclopedia of the Early Modern World
- Author:
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POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY
POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY.
At the dawn of early modern Europe, political philosophy had been largely shaped by the categories and language of Aristotelian thought as integrated into the Christian Scholastic framework during the preceding two centuries. According to Christian Aristotelians, political "science" constituted the highest form of practical knowledge, but ultimately was subordinate to the still higher forms of theoretical excellence and transcendent truth to be found in the pursuit of philosophical and theological wisdom. Scholastic political philosophy thus promoted government that comported with the virtue and salvation (and thus happiness) of members of ...