Medieval Thought St. Augustine

Introduction St. Augustine is a Christian writer. He born at Roman Province of Northern Africa. His father was a great feudal. He got many chance to earn higher education from different academic institutions. He studied Christian philosophy very deeply.

Cont’d When he attached with religious study then he spent his whole life to promote Christian life and culture. His major books are: Confessions City of God

Features of Medieval Period Universality on the basis of Christian philosophy Supremacy of Church Rise of Monarchy Representative governance system Popular sovereignty Collective will of people

His theories of Two Cities In his book – City of God, Augustine analyzed about two cities. These are: The City of Earth, and The City of God He says human being has been made from two elements/components. These are: Human body, and Human spirit. Combination of these two elements is best feature of human life.

Cont’d A human can be a member of the city of god by spiritual performance and member of the city of earth by physical existence. He compares the City of God and City of Earth from different perspective. He says: City of Earth is ruled by physical presence with desire, selfishness which is very temporary. City of God is ruled by principle of purity, morality and divine rule, which is very permanent and unchangeable.

He focused the City of God that can be seen in Bible. Cont’d He focused the City of God that can be seen in Bible. He divides human society in four parts to analyze about City of God. These are: Family – City of Earth City State – City of Earth Creation – City of Earth and God Super Creation – City of God

Cont’d State is a device of maintaining peace and security in human society. He says human being may have two forms of Love or attraction. These are: Self/spiritual love or attraction: Seeking happiness and love in the Earth that encourages to human being to establish State. Human being adopts conspiracy, selfish character and storage of goods. St. Augustine says this world as the world of devil. God/divine love or attraction: seeking happiness and love in the Earth as well as divine world, who work for happiness of all people as well as human welfare.

St. Thomas Aquinas 8 August 2011

Great Scholar of 13th Century. Youngest son of his parent. Introduction Born on 1225-1274 in Rome. Great Scholar of 13th Century. Youngest son of his parent. Attraction on religious matter. Hold a Master of Theology from Perish University

Wrote more than 60 books. Major books are: Cont’d Wrote more than 60 books. Major books are: Summa Theologies Commentaries on the Politics of Aristotle The Rules of Princes On Kingship To the King of Cyprus.

Aquinas's view on State He presented his view on State in his book "Summa Theologies". Aquinas accepts god as fundamental source of political authority. Like nature, society is a system of ends and purpose the lower serves the higher and the higher directs the lower.

Cont’d State is an institution that imposes a discipline which not only restrains men from committing injury, but makes them morally bettermen. State is an ultimate form of society where every group of people performs their duty respectively. Without performing such duty no human being can fulfill his/her needs. Thus, they think better to be under the state.

Function of State To create comfortable environment to people's life. To maintain unity, peace and security. To protect people from enemy attack. To enforce law and order by using reward and punishment.

Forms of Government Like Aristotle, he also divides government into three just and perverted forms. If ruler works for all people as well as society, such system of rule can be said just or good state, whole if ruler works just for their interest then such system can be said worst form of state. He argues that features of state are determined by nature and activities to be done by ruler.

Cont’d In his view, just form of government are Monarchy, Aristocracy and perverted forms are Polity and Tyranny and Oligarchy respectively. He supports the kingdom than democracy or Mofocracy, because, democracy promotes to clash and conflict rather than unity and security. However, he says the best form of government is that which exercised by one person.

About Church Aquinas found two goal of human life. One is happiness in this world and another is to get happiness in the city of God (heaven). Human being can be happy in a state, but church is a device to get invisible happiness or happiness to be got in the city if god. He says happiness in god is supreme than happiness in the state, thus human being dedicate to the god. Thus, he says, Pope can boycott to the king or ruler who does not follow such rules. He supports to the supremacy of Church. He says church should be supreme than all things. Due to supremacy of church in visible and invisible world no ruler has right to violate the order of church. He accepted the church as symbol of unity of the people.

About Law Law is an ordinance of reason for the common good, promulgated by him who has the care of a community. He classifies the law into 4 parts: Eternal law: Law related to truth. It is god's wisdom directing all actions and movements and truth itself. Natural law: Natural law is a part of law depended on nature and human rational. Divine law: Divine law means that part of law that found in the scriptures. Human made law: Human law is human made law. It is ordinance of reason for the common made by him who has care of the community.