Vico’s New Science as a Political TheologyVico’s New Science as a Political Theology Abstract The paper considers that Vico’s philosophy developed in the New Science is a position

ReviewPaperUDC[1:32]:[111:2–12]Vico,G.ReceivedJanuary5th,2015

Goran SunajkoMiroslavKrležaInstituteofLexicography,Frankopanska26,HR–10000Zagreb

[email protected]

Vico’s New Science as a Political Theology

AbstractThe paper considers that Vico’s philosophy developed in the NewScience is a position of what would later be labelled as a political theology. Therefore, paper starts from the defini-tion of the concept of political theology and demonstrates the principles that will put Vico into that specific tradition of philosophical thought. In this meaning Vico’s philosophy is based on the metaphysical tradition and it is clear that it can be characterized as the politi-cal theology. Vico’s analysis is based on the classical typology of political community (rule) set by Plato and Aristotle, but it includes the philosophy of history aiming to show, contrary to usual considerations, that the political forms of government moved from the metaphysical principle of the one (monarchy), the fewness (aristocracy), the all (democracy) and finally ended in a metaphysical postulate of the one that is best expressed again in the monarchy. For this method Vico uses the classical pattern of political theology with the principle of divine providence in forming the political community, because it is a central concept of the political theology. That is why Vico shows that the first communities were based on religious postulates, and afterword on the philosophical. The author concludes that Vico’s NewScience can be defined as an important piece on political philosophy based on politi-cal theology, which, in today’s conditions of material globalization, once more becomes an important position in overcoming the crisis of modern materialism of the world.

KeywordsGiambattistaVico,politicalphilosophy,politicaltheology,state,providence,metaphysics,sovereignty

1. The Concept of Political Theology

Political theology isa theoreticalconceptoriginated in the20thcentury todrawattentionto themeritsof thecivilorderswith thehelpof theological(metaphysical)postulate. In thatwaypolitical theologycombinesandcon-nectsmetaphysicswithpoliticalphilosophyanditisauniquephilosophicalposition.FounderoftheideawasCarlSchmitt,butitseemsheonlycreatedthe concept because themeaning existedmuch earlier under the influenceofthemetaphysicalpostulatesofPlatoandAristotle,throughAugustineandThomasAquinasuptillBodin,Hobbes,andRousseauinthemodernsense.ButnoonebeforeVicohadnot,insuchasystematic,historical-philosophicalwayofexplaining,pointedouttheimpactofmetaphysicsonthefoundationofhuman societies through theirhistoricaldevelopment.Therefore, in thispaper,we prove that itwasVicowhowas forerunner ofmodern politicaltheology.Theapproachwhichcharacterizestheconceptofpoliticaltheologyisaherme-neutic aswell asphilosophy-historicalone. It isbasedoncontent analysismethodinfavourofthesovereignpositionofdeityandhisreigninthepresentpoliticalordersaswellashistoricaloverviewofeventsthattestify.Herme-

SYNTHESISPHILOSOPHICA60(2/2015)pp.(203–216)

G.Sunajko,Vico’sNew ScienceasaPoli-ticalTheology204

neuticalapproachisappliedbysomeofthecontemporaryinterpretersofthepoliticaltheology:firstofall,DorotheeSölleinthechapter“PoliticalTheol-ogyasHermeneutics”,1thenJohnB.Cobb,whoshowshow“hermeneuticsmeans interpretation”,2especially forBiblical texts,andJürgenMoltmann,whoshowshowtodisplaypoliticaltheologybyhermeneuticapproachwhichisanartofinterpretationofthetextandthatthepoliticaltheologyisimportantastheartof“translationofthepastintothepresent”.3AccordingtoMarder,

“Politicalhermeneuticsis,atonce,politicalandtheological;itsactsofinterpretationdiscoverthatthereferentisdeferred,drawnbacktothetraditionalobjectofhermeneuticalconcern,the‘prehistory,’ inGadamer’s terms,ofphilosophicalhermeneutics.Aside from thedivinecon-notationsofconceptssuchassovereigntyshimmeringwiththeborrowedlightofthesupremepowerofGod,politicalhermeneuticsisshoredupby‘anethosofbelief’and,therefore,byathoroughlyChristian theology,wherein theproblemsof psychic interiority, subjectivity, andbelieffirsttakeroot.”4

Historicistapproach,ontheotherhand,isusedbyJohannBaptistMetz,5CarlSchmitt,6andalsoMoltmannwhichputshimalongsidewiththehermeneuticalapproachwhenheconcludesthathermeneuticsseekswitnessesreviews,andhistoricismishopeinformofmemories.7And,finally,MarkPhilp,whostatesthatpolitical theory“shouldlooktothepast inorder tounderstandevents,createexplanationsandmodelsofpoliticalorderanddevelopedasenseofwhatispoliticallypossibleanddesirable”.8JacquesMaritainemphasizesthehistoricalrelativityofmodernordersinawaythatwehavetogodeepintothepastandhavealookfortherootsofthefirstgermsofideasthatgoverntoday’sworld.9 Both of these approaches to political theologywill be thebaseofVico’sScience–historical(philosophy),showingthedevelopmentofhumansocietiesfromtribetocivilizedsociety,andhermeneutic(philology)withinthemeaningoflanguagefortheestablishmentofhumansocieties.10

Itshouldbefurthernotedthat, inadditionto thedominantformwhichwehaveshown,politicaltheologyisverypresentincontemporarystudiesandpresentsamuchwiderfieldofitsapplication.Thus,studyofpoliticaltheologyalwaysbeginstraditionallyfromtheOldTestamentofIsrael’sconsiderations,asWalterBrueggemannclaims,11andtheNewTestamentconsiderationsofChristianpolicyasitisindicatedbyChristopherRowland.12ExcepttheBi-ble,studyonpolitical theology is related to thephilosophyofSt.AureliusAugustine(Elshtain)13andThomasAquinas(Bauerschmidt),14andtheninthecontextoftheReformation,particularlyMartinLutherandhisunderstandingofthetwokingdoms(Moltmann).15Politicaltheologyisalsodiscussedinthecontextofaccesstorelationbetweenthestateandcivilsociety,whichshowsthateverytheologyisalsothepolitical(Bell),16thenwithinaccesstodemoc-racy,theanalysiswhichshowsthatthetheologicalthoughthasincreasinglyconceiveddemocracyasonethatmeetsChristianvalues(deGruchy),17alsothroughcriticaltheory,whichshowshowthenotionof“politicaltheology”isambivalentandcanbedirectedinthewrongdirection,becauseitassumesthatthereisatheologythatisnotpolitical(Hewitt),18andfurtherinthecontextoftheGustavoGutiérrez’sliberationtheologybasedontherelationshipoftheChristianfaithandsocialjusticeandconcreteactionofGodinspecifichistor-icalsituationsinordertoreleasemanfromthepolitical,economic,andsocialoppression(Goizueta).19Finally,politicaltheologyconsidersnewapproachestopostmodernism,withpossibilities of overcomingpolitical theology as aproduct of themodernity and its setting to postmodernbase (Pickstock),20thenwithinfeminism,whichdealswiththepositionofwomanintheChurchthatledtoherpositioninsociety(Graham),21andfinallyintheapproachto



globalizationinthecontextofwhichitdealswiththerelationshipofthelocalandglobalChristianauthority,whenChristianity,regardlessofitsuniversal-ism,isbecomingmoreandextra-monitoreddissolutionofnation-states,and

1

See:DorotheeSölle,Political Theology,Fort-ressPress,Philadelphia1974,pp.55–70.

2

JohannB.Cobb,Process Theology as Politi-cal Theology, Manchester University Press,Manchester1982,p.45.

3

JürgenMoltmann,On Human Dignity: Po-litical Theology and Ethics, Fortress Press,Philadelphia1984,p.105.

4

See:MichaelMarder,Groundless Existence. The Political Ontology of Carl Schmitt,Con-tinuum,London2010,p.183.

5

See:JohannBaptistMetz,Politička teologija,Kršćanskasadašnjost,Zagreb2004.

6

See:CarlSchmitt,Political Theology II: The Myth of the Closure of Any Political Theo-logy,PolityPress,Cambridge2008.Butpo-liticaltheologyinSchmitt’sargumentsisalsohermeneutical. Much of the discussion ofpolitical-theologicalhermeneuticsinSchmittrevolvesaroundthenotionoftheworldthatconnotes much more than its theologicalsensereferringtothesecular,non-transcend-entrealm.AsinthephilosophyofGadamer,forwhom language is the experienceof theworld,Schmitt’s“world”isintimatelytiedtospeechand,therefore,totheinsuperableho-rizonof sociality, somuchso that,whoeverspeaks isno longeralone in theworld.See:M.Marder,Groundless Existence,p.184.

7

J.Moltmann,On Human Dignity,p.105.

8

MarkPhilp, “PoliticalTheory andHistory”,in:DavidLeopold,MarcStears(eds.),Politi-cal Theory: Methods and Approach,OxfordUniversityPress,Oxford2008.,pp.128–150,herep.130.

9

See:JacquesMaritain,Čovjek i država,Škol-skaknjiga,Zagreb1992.

10

LinoVeljakarguesthatVicoisthepredeces-sorofphilosophyofhistory, and that it is ahumancreatedhistory(verum et factum con-vertuntur). See: LinoVeljak, “Ibn Haldun iVico.Omediteranskomutemeljenjucikličkogpoimanja povijesti”, Filozofska istraživanja29(4/2010),p.719–724.

11

Walter Brueggeman, “Scripture: Old Testa-ment”,in:WilliamT.Cavanaugh,PeterScott(eds.),The Blackwell Companion to Political Theology,BlackwellPublishingLtd,Oxford2004,pp.7–21,herep.7.

12

ChristopherRowland,“Scripture:NewTesta-ment”,in:WilliamT.Cavanaugh,PeterScott(eds.),The Blackwell Companion to Political Theology,pp.21–35,herep.21.

13

JeanBethkeElshtain, “Augustine”, in:Wil-liam T. Cavanaugh, Peter Scott (eds.), The Blackwell Companion to Political Theology,pp.35–48,herep.35.

14

Frederick Christian Bauerschmidt, “Aqui-nas”, in:WilliamT.Cavanaugh,PeterScott(eds.),The Blackwell Companion to Political Theology,pp.48–62,herep.48.

15

See:J.Moltmann,On Human Dignity.

16

DanielM.Bell,“StateandcivilSociety”,in:WilliamT.Cavanaugh,PeterScott(eds.),The Blackwell Companion to Political Theology,pp.423–439.,herep.423.

17

JohnW.DeGruchy, “Democracy”, in:Wil-liam T. Cavanaugh, Peter Scott (eds.), The Blackwell Companion to Political Theology,pp.439–455,herep.439.

18

MarshaAileenHewitt,“CriticalTheory”,in:WilliamT.Cavanaugh,PeterScott(eds.),The Blackwell Companion to Political Theology,pp.455–471,herep.455.

19

Roberto S. Goizueta, “Gustavo Gutiérrez”,in:WilliamT.Cavanaugh,PeterScott(eds.),The Blackwell Companion to Political Theol-ogy,pp.288–302,herep.293.

20

Catherine Pickstock, “Postmodernism”, in:WilliamT.Cavanaugh,PeterScott(eds.),The Blackwell Companion to Political Theology,pp.471–486,herep.471.

21

ElaineGraham, “FeministTheology,North-ern”, in:WilliamT.Cavanaugh, Peter Scott(eds.),The Blackwell Companion to Political Theology,pp.210–227,herep.210.



hencepoliticaltheologyandthequestionofauthoritythatitestablishesbe-comefluid(Sedgwick).22

InhisconsiderationsVicostarts frommostof theabovementionedunder-standingsofpoliticaltheology,especiallythosewhohaveshowntheGreek,Roman,Judeo-BiblicalandChristiantradition,butalsothroughphilosophi-calsystemsofAugustine,ThomasAquinas,Hobbes,Pufendorf,Grotius,etc.,whichareconsideredtobethetheologicalpostulateswithinpoliticalphiloso-phy.AntePažaninconsideredthatVico’snewscienceshouldbeunderstoodpreciselyasa“mindedpolitical theology”that isbasedonGodasaphilo-sophicalratherthanatheologicalconcept.23

2. Vico’s Concept of Political Theology

Vico’sconceptofpoliticaltheologyisprimarilyaphilosophicalandhistori-calone.Itstartsfromtheverybeginningofhumanassociationsanddistin-guishesthreebasicstages(ageofgods,theageofheroesandageofpeople)deriving fromGod’s providence as an essential characteristic of politicaltheologyandthefundamentalVico’sterm.24AccordingtoVico,religionpre-cedesphilosophyandthusphilosophyessentiallyreliesonreligion.Philoso-phyandphilologyarejustwordsandconceptswhichdeterminewhatreli-gionreallydid.Thus,thebasisofalllatercivilizedsocietiesismetaphysicsasapresumptionofpoliticaltheology.25ThelastsentenceoftheNew Scienceis:“thisSciencecarriesinseparablywithitthestudyofpiety,andthatifonebenotpioushecannotreallybewise”.26VicoshowsthathisNewSciencemanagedindisprovingpostulatesofEpicurus,Zenon,Hobbes,Machiavelli,andalsoPufendorf,Grotius,andSeldenwhodidnotrealizethatGod’sprovi-dencewas thebasisofhumansocietiesand their law. In this sensePierreBayle’sandPolybius’claimsthattheremayexistnationsandstateswithouttheconceptofGodareunsustainable,whichprovesVico’spositionofpoliti-caltheology.

“Forinthisworkithasbeenfullydemonstratedthatthroughprovidencethefirstgovernmentsoftheworldhadastheirentireformreligion,onwhichalonethestateofthefamilieswasbased;andpassingthencetotheheroicoraristocraticcivilgovernments,religionmusthavebeentheirprincipal firm basis.Advancing then to the popular governments, itwas again religion thatservedthepeoplesasmeansforattainingthem.Andcomingtorestatlastinmonarchicgovern-ments,thissamereligionmustbetheshieldofprinces.Hence,ifreligionislostamongthepeo-ples,theyhavenothinglefttoenablethemtoliveinsociety:noshieldofdefense,normeansofcounsel,norbasisofsupport,norevenaformbywhichtheymayexistintheworldatall.”27

2.1. Metaphysics as the Basis of the New Science

Vicostartsfrommetaphysicsanditsprincipleswhichhaveestablishedhu-mancommunity,becausetheideaofgood,virtue,fairness,andprovidenceresultingfromthemetaphysicalconsiderationsofGodwereestablishedintheoriginalhumancommunityandallothersthatfollowed.CrocearguedthatthereasonwhyVicowasboundtomisstheideaofprogressandwhyhisstudiesinhistorywereinevitablyone-sidedishismetaphysics.“By‘metaphysics’weunderstoodVico’sconceptionofrealityasawhole,notoftheworldofmanbyitself.”28Butalso,“theSciencewhichwithdivinepleasurecontemplatedtheeternalcycleofthemind,elevatedasitwastosuchaheight,necessarilytendedtointerpretthewholeofreality,bothNatureandGod,asMind.“29

Vicoconcludesthatallthephilosophersandphilologistshadtobeginitscon-siderationwithmetaphysics,becausemetaphysicsseeksitsproofsnotinthe



externalworld,butwithinthemodificationsofthemindofhimwhomeditatesit.30Hence,at theverybeginningofhisconsiderationof theNew Science,Vicoshowsthekeyroleofmetaphysics,whichisdirectedtoGodandprovi-dence.“Throughthisaspectofmetaphysicintheattitudeofecstasycontem-platesHimabovetheorderofnaturalthingsthroughwhichphilosophershavehithertocontemplatedHim.”InthisScience Vicoshowsthatmetaphysics

“…contemplatesinGodtheworldofhumanminds,whichisthemetaphysicalworld,inordertoshowHisprovidenceintheworldofhumanspirits,whichisthecivilworldortheworldofnations.(…)Hisprovidenceinrespecttothatpartofitwhichismostpropertomen,whosenaturehastheprincipalproperty:thatofbeingsocial.Inprovidingforthisproperty,Godhassoordainedanddisposedhumanaffairsthatmen,havingfallenfromcompletejusticebyorigi-nalsin,andwhileintendingalmostalwaystodosomethingquitedifferentandoftenquitethecontrarysothatforprivateutilitytheywouldlivealonelikewildbeasts,havebeenledbythissameutilityandalongtheaforesaiddifferentandcontrarypathstolivelikemeninjusticeandtokeepthemselvesinsocietyandthustoobservetheirsocialnature.Itwillbeshowninthepresentworkthatthisisthetruecivilnatureofman,andthusthatlawexistsinnature.TheconductofdivineprovidenceinthismatterisoneofthethingswhoserationaleisachiefbusinessofourScience,whichbecomesinthisrespectarationalciviltheologyofdivineprovidence.”31

This“rationalciviltheologyofdivineprovidence”canbeidentifiedpreciselyasapoliticaltheologybecausehedesignateshisNew Scienceasa“philoso-phyofauthority”.32Itstartsfromthepaternalauthorityinfamiliesandend-ingindevelopedrepublicssupportedbytheauthorityofGod.Throughtheseprinciples,Vicoshows,“allthevirtueshavetheirrootsinpietyandreligion,bywhich alone the virtues aremade effective in action, and by reason ofwhichmenproposetothemselvesasgoodwhateverGodwills.”33AccordingtoVico,itmeansthatthenewprinciplesofpoliticaltheologyasphilosophyofauthorityaregiven,bywhichsons,

“…bywhichsons,solongastheyareinthepoweroftheirfathers,mustbeconsideredtobeinthefamilystate,andconsequentlyareinnootherwaytobeformedandconfirmedinalltheirstudiesbesidesinpietyandreligion.Sincetheyarenotyetcapableofunderstandingcommon-wealthandlaws,theyaretoreverenceandfeartheirfathersaslivingimagesofGod,soastobenaturallydisposedtofollowthereligionoftheirfathersandtodefendtheirfatherland,which

22

PeterSedgwick,“Globalization”,in:WilliamT.Cavanaugh,PeterScott(eds.),The Black-well Companion to Political Theology, pp.486–501,herep.486.

23

Ante Pažanin,Um i povijest,Hrvatsko filo-zofskodruštvo,Zagreb1992,p.121.

24

According to SanjaRoić,Vico’s concept ofprovidenceiscrucialbecausehehadinitiallyrejecteditbutlaterhereturnedtoit.Itistheepistemological assumption which does notaffecthismethod.See:SanjaRoić,Filozof u zrcalu. Ogledi o Giambattisti Vicu,Hrvatskofilozofskodruštvo,Zagreb1996,p.72.

25

PažaninalsohighlightsVico’sorientationto-wardspoliticaltheologyintheprocessofhis-torical nation-building.Ante Pažanin, “Pov-ijesnii‘nepovijesni’narodi”,Politička misao31(1/1994),pp.87–92.

26

GiambattistaVico,The New Science,CornellUniversityPress,NewYork1948,p.383.

27

Ibid.,302–383.

28

Benedetto Croce, The Philosophy of Giam-battista Vico,HowardLatimer,London1913,p.134.

29

Ibid.,135.

30

SeeG.Vico,The New Science,p.104.

31

Ibid.,pp.3–4.

32

Ibid.,p.6.

33

Ibid.,p.9.



preservestheirfamiliesforthem,andsotoobeythelawsordainedforthepreservationoftheirreligionandfatherland.”34

InthissenseVicoconcludesbyargumentsofadevelopedpoliticaltheology:

“Fordivineprovidenceordainedhumanthingswiththiseternalcounsel;thatfamiliesshouldfirstbefoundedbymeansofreligions,andthatuponthefamiliescommonwealthsshouldthenarisebymeansoflaws.”35

ThatmetaphysicsisthetruefoundationoftheNew ScienceVicoshowsinthechapteronwisdom whereheclaimsthatmanispuremindandspirit.“Man,inhisproperbeingasman,consistsofmindandspirit,orofintellectandwill.Itisthefunctionofwisdomtofulfilboththesepartsinman,thesecondbywayofthefirst,totheendthatwithamindilluminatedbyknowledgeofthehighestthingsthespiritmaybeledtochoosethebest.ThehighestthingsintheuniversearethoseturnedtowardandconversantwithGod;thebestarethosewhichlooktothegoodofallmankind.Theformerarecalleddivinethings,thelatterhuman.Truewisdom,then,shouldteachtheknowledgeofdivinethingsinordertoconducthumanthingstothehighestgood.(…)Wisdomwaslaterattributedtomenrenownedforusefulcounselsgiventomankind.(…)Theattributionwasafterwardsextendedtomenwhoforthegoodofpeoplesandnationswiselyorderedandgovernedcommonwealths.Stilllaterthewordwisdomcametomeanknowledgeofnaturaldivinethings;thatis,metaphysics,calledforthatreasonthedivinescience,which,seekingknowledgeofman’smindinGodandrecogniz-ingGodasthesourceofalltruth,mustrecognizehimastheregulatorofallgood.Sothatmeta-physicsmustessentiallyworkforthegoodofthehumanrace,whosepreservationdependsontheuniversalbeliefinaprovidentdivinity.”36

Inaccordancewiththemetaphysicalprinciples,Vicodistinguishesthreetypesoftheology.

“First,poetic theology, thatof the theologicalpoets,whichwas thecivil theologyofall thegentilenations.Second,naturaltheology,thatofthemetaphysicians.Third,Christiantheology,amixtureofcivilandnaturalwiththeloftiestrevealedtheology;allthreeunitedincontempla-tionofthedivineprovidence.Thedivineprovidencehasconductedhumanaffairsthat–startingfromthepoetictheologywhichregulatedthembycertainsensiblesignsbelievedtobedivinecounselssenttomenbythegods,andbymeansofthenaturaltheologywhichdemonstratesprovidencebyeternalreasonswhichdonotfallunderthesenses–thenationsweredisposedtoreceiverevealedtheologyinvirtueofasupernaturalfaith,superiornotonlytothesensesbuttohumanreasonitself.”37

But,Vicocontinues,

“…becausemetaphysicsisthesublimesciencewhichdistributestheirdeterminatesubjectmat-terstoalltheso-calledsubalternsciences,andbecausethewisdomoftheancientswasthatofthetheologicalpoets,whowerewithoutdoubtthefirstsagesofthegentileworld,andbecausetheoriginsofallthingsmustbynaturehavebeencrude,forallthesereasons,Vicoconsidered,wemusttracethebeginningsofpoeticwisdomtoacrudemetaphysics.Fromthis,asfromatrunk, therebranchout fromone limb logic,morals,economics,andpolitics,allpoetic,andfromanotherphysics,themotheroftheircosmographyandhenceofastronomy,whichgivestheir certainty to its twodaughters, chronologyandgeography,all likewisepoetic.Weshallshowclearly anddistinctlyhow the founders of gentile humanitybymeansof their naturaltheology(ormetaphysics)imaginedthegods;howbymeansoftheirlogictheyinventedlan-guages;bymorals,createdheroes;byeconomics,foundedfamilies,andbypolitics,cities;bytheirphysics,establishedthebeginningsofthingsasalldivine.ThusourSciencecomestobeatonceahistoryoftheideas,thecustoms,andthedeedsofmankind.”38

SpiritualpositionthatisemphasizedbyVicoshowsanotherclassicpatternofmetaphysics–themind-bodyrelationthroughwhichiscleartheruler’sposi-tionofspiritualinallproperlyconstitutedstates.

“Thisplanofcommonwealthsisfoundedonthetwoeternalprinciplesofthisworldofnations,namelythemindandthebodyofthemenwhocomposeit.Formenconsistofthesetwoparts,oneofwhichisnobleandshouldthereforecommand,andtheotherofwhichisbaseandshould



serve.Butbecauseofthecorruptionofhumannature,thegenericcharacterofmencannotwith-outthehelpofphilosophy(whichcanaidbutfew)bringitaboutthateveryindividual’smindshouldcommandandnotservehisbody.Thereforedivineprovidenceordainedhumanthingswiththiseternalorder:that,incommonwealths,thosewhousetheirmindsshouldcommandandthosewhousetheirbodiesshouldobey.”39

FromtheabovewecanseethatthefoundationofeveryconstitutednationismetaphysicsandthatisthereasonwhytheNew Scienceisdefinedasmeta-physicsthatenablespoliticaltheologythroughwhichalldevelopednationswereconstituted.

“SothisNewScienceormetaphysic,ponderingthecommonnatureofnationsinthelightofdivineprovidence,havingdiscoveredsuchoriginsofdivineandhumanthingsamongthegen-tilenations,establishesthenceasystemofthenaturallawofnations,whichproceedswiththegreatestequalityandconstancythroughthethreeageswhichtheEgyptianshandeddowntousasthethreeperiodsthroughwhichtheworldhadpasseduptotheirtime.”40

2.2. The New Science as a Political Theology

ThesethreeperiodsofnationsonwhichVicowritesarealsothebasisofhiselaborationofpolitical theology that, inaccordancewith the interpretationoftheconcept,naturallyendsinamonarchicaltypeofgovernment.Unlikemostphilosophers(Plato,Aristotle,Polybius,Bodin,andalmostallmodernphilosophers)Vicoisgenuinebecauseheshowsthereverseorderofdevel-opmentof governmental forms. Insteadof theusual opinion that firstwasestablishedtheruleofone(monarchy),thenafewvirtuous(aristocracy),andintheendtheruleofall(democracy),Vicobelievesmonarchywasaformofgovernmentforwhichthenationshavefinallydecidedtobebytheirownwillaftertheexperienceofdemocracy.Developmentisfollowedinsuchawaythatfirstwas“theageofthegods,inwhichthegentilesbelievedtheylivedunderdivinegovernments,andeverythingwascommandedthembyauspicesandoracles,whicharetheoldestthingsinprofanehistory”.Thesecondwas“theageoftheheroes,inwhichtheyreignedeverywhereinaristocraticcom-monwealths,onaccountof a certain superiorityofnaturewhich theyheldthemselves tohaveover theplebs”.And the thirdwas“theageofmen, inwhichallmenrecognizedthemselvesasequalinhumannature,andthereforetherewereestablishedfirstthepopularcommonwealthsandthenthemonar-chies,bothofwhichareformsofhumangovernment”.Vicoconsidersthatthewholehistoricalmovementofnationswenttowardmonarchyasidealformofgovernment.

“Atfirstmendesiretobefreeofsubjectionandattainequality;witnesstheplebsinthearisto-craticcommonwealths,whichfinallyturnpopular.Thentheyattempttosurpasstheirequals;witnesstheplebsinthepopularcommonwealths, latercorruptedintocommonwealthsofthepowerful.Finallytheywishtoputthemselvesabovethelaws;witnesstheanarchiesorunlimitedpopularcommonwealths,thanwhichthereisnogreatertyranny,forinthemthereareasmany

34

Ibid.,p.32.

35

Ibid.,p.9.

36

Ibid.,p.99.

37

See:ibid.,p.100.

38

Ibid.

39

Ibid.,p.11.

40

Ibid.,pp.17–18.



tyrantsasthereareboldanddissolutemeninthecities.Atthisjuncturetheplebs,warnedbytheillstheysuffer,andcastingaboutforaremedy,seekshelterundermonarchies.”41

ThepositionofpoliticaltheologyargumentsVicoprovesintheElements to-getherwithaxiomsthroughwhichheshowsthetaskofphilosophyasapoliti-calphilosophywhichincludesGod’sprovidence.

“Tobeusefultothehumanrace,philosophymustraiseanddirectweakandfallenman,notrendhisnatureorabandonhiminhiscorruption.ThisaxiomdismissesfromtheschoolofSciencetheStoicswhoseektomortifythesensesandtheEpicureanswhomakethemthecriterion.Forbothdenyprovidence,theformerchainingthemselvestofate,thelatterabandoningthemselvestochance.Thelattermoreoveraffirmthatthehumansouldieswiththebody.AccordingtoVicobothshouldbecalledmonasticorsolitaryphilosophers.OntheotherhandadmitsSchoolthepoliticalphilosophers,andfirstofallthePlatonists,whoagreewithallthelawgiversonthesethreemainpoints:thatthereisdivineprovidence,thathumanpassionsshouldbemoderatedandmadeintohumanvirtues,andthatthehumansoulisimmortal.ThusfromthisaxiomarederivedthethreeprinciplesofVico’sScience.”42

Thetaskofphilosophyasanewscienceistoturnthenegativeintopositivepassionsandthatcanbedonebyturningtowardmetaphysics.

“Thisaxiomprovesthatthereisdivineprovidenceandfurtherthatitisadivinelegislativemind.Foroutofthepassionsofmeneachbentonhisprivateadvantage,forthesakeofwhichtheywouldlivelikewildbeastsinthewilderness,ithasmadethecivilordersbywhichtheymayliveinhumansociety.”43

AccordingtoVico,manhasbyGod’sprovidencereceivedthepowertocon-vertnegativepassions into thepositive.This sameaxiomproves thatmanhasfreechoice,howeverweak,tomakevirtuesofhispassions;butthatheisaidedbyGod,naturallybydivineprovidence,andsupernaturallybydivinegrace.Theprocedureofpassiontransformationisgiventomenintheformofreasonwhichiscommontothehumanrace.Sothecommonsenseis“judg-mentwithoutreflection,sharedbyanentireclass,anentirepeople,anentirenation,orthewholehumanrace”becauseitisderivedfromGodasageneralprinciple:

“Thisaxiomisagreatprinciplewhichestablishesthecommonsenseofthehumanraceasthecriteriontaughttothenationsbydivineprovidencetodefinewhatiscertaininthenaturallawofnations.Andthenationsreachthiscertaintybyrecognizingtheunderlyingagreementswhich,despitevariationsofdetail,obtainamongthemallinrespectofthislaw.”44

Vico starts fromopposingHobbes’ intentionof eliminating the concept ofdivineprovidencein“stateofnature”conceptbecauseheseeksattributableeventstomereaccidence(contingence)liketheEpicureansdid.45AccordingtoVico, thedivineprovidencewasexactlywhatmanaged togetpeople tocreateanykindofpoliticalsystembeforetheyenteredintoasocialcontract.Thisaxiomestablishesthefactthatdivineprovidenceinitiatedtheprocessbywhichthefierceandviolentwerebroughtfromtheiroutlawstatetohumanityandentereduponnationallife.Itdidso,Vicoconcludes,

“…byawakinginthemaconfusedideaofdivinity,whichtheyintheirignoranceattributedtothattowhichitdidnotbelong.Thusthroughtheterrorofthisimagineddivinity,theybegantoputthemselvesinsomeorder.FromthispointbeginstherefutationofthefalsedictumofPolybiusthatiftheworldhadphilosopherstherewouldbenoneedofreligions.Thetruthisquiteopposite:Foriftherewereintheworldnocommonwealths,whichcannotarisewithoutreligions,itwouldhavenophilosophers.”46

Becauseofthat,Vicoconsidersthat

“…wemuststartfromsomenotionofGodsuchaseventhemostsavage,wildandmonstrousmendonotlack.Thatnotionweshowtobethis:thatman,fallenintodespairofallthesuccors



ofnature,desiressomethingsuperiortosavehim.ButsomethingsuperiortonatureisGod,andthisisthelightthatGodhasshedonallmen.Confirmationmaybefoundinacommonhumancustom,thatlibertinesgrownold,feelingtheirnaturalforcesfail,turnnaturallytoreligion.”47

InthebasisofhumanassociationwasGodormetaphysicalpositionofthespirit(freewill)bywhichpeopleoriginatedfromaprimitivestateandcreatedthe concept of justicemodelled onmetaphysical principles of firstmotion(impulse).

“[T]hesefirstmen,wholaterbecametheprincesofthegentilenations,musthavedonetheirthinkingunderthestrongimpulsionofviolentpassions,asbeastsdo.Wemustthereforeproceedfromavulgarmetaphysics,(…)suchasweshallfindthetheologyofthepoetstohavebeen,andseekbyitsaidthatfrightfulthoughtofsomedivinitywhichimposedformandmeasureonthebestialpassionsoftheselostmenandthustransformedthemintohumanpassions.Fromthisthoughtmusthavesprungtheimpulsepropertothehumanwill,toholdincheckthemotionsimpressedonthemindbythebody,soaseithertoquietthemaltogether,asbecomesthesage,oratleasttodirectthemtobetteruse,asbecomesthecivilman.Thiscontroloverthemotionoftheirbodiesiscertainlyaneffectofthefreedomofthehumanwill,andthusoffreewill,whichisthehomeandseatofallthevirtues,andamongtheotherofjustice.Wheninformedbyjustice,thewillisthefountofallthatisjustandofallthelawsdictatedbyjustice.Buttoendowbodieswithimpulseamountstogivingthemfreedomtoregulatetheirmotions,whereasallbodiesarebynaturenecessaryagents.Andwhatthetheoristsofmechanicscallpowers,forces,impulses,are insensiblemotionsofbodies,bywhichtheyapproachtheircentersofgravity,asancientmechanicshadit,ordepartfromtheircentersofmotion,asmodernmechanics.”48

TheproblemwhichisseenbyVicoisthatofhumannaturalself-loveinthe“stateofnature”.Thepeople,

“…becauseoftheircorruptednature,areunderthetyrannyofself-lovewhichcompelsthemtomakeprivateutilitytheirchiefguide.Seekingeverythingusefulforthemselvesandnothingfortheircompanions,theycannotbringtheirpassionsundercontroltodirectthemtowardjustice.Wetherebyestablishthefactthatmaninthebestialstatedesiresonlyhisownwelfare;having

41

See:ibid,p.78.

42

Ibid.,p.55.

43

Ibid.,p.56.

44

“Whenthefirstcitieswereestablishedonthebasis of the families, the nobles, by reasonof theirnativelawless liberty,wereopposedto checks and burdens; witness the aristo-cratic commonwealths in which the noblesarelords.Latertheyareforcedbytheplebs,greatly increased in numbers and trained inwar, to submit to laws and burdens equallywiththeirplebeians;witnessthenoblesinthepopularcommonwealths.Finally,inordertopreservetheircomfortableexistence,theyarenaturallyinclinedtoacceptthesupremacyofoneruler;witnessthenoblesunderthemon-archies. These two axioms with the otherspreceding, from the sixty-sixth on, are theprinciples of the ideal eternal history abovereferredto”.Ibid.,p.57.

45

Vicoisnotquiteright,becauseHobbes’po-litical philosophy will start from some key

metaphysicalargumentsbywhichheformu-lated the theoryofsovereigntyasapositionof political theology, in the same way thatVicodiditbyhimself.AccordingtoHobbes:“Lastely,seeinginhathbeenalreadyprovedout of divers evident places ofScripture, inchap. 35 of this book, that the kingdom ofGod is a civil commonwealth, where Godhimselfissovereign,byvirtuefirstoftheold,and since of the new covenant, wherein hereignethbyhis vicar, or liutenant; the sameplacesdothereforealsoprove, thatafter thecomingagainofourSaviourinhighmajesty,andglory,toreignactually,andetternally,thekingdomofGodintobeonearth”,ThomasHobbes, Leviathan, Or The Matter, Forme and Power of A Commonwealth Ecclesiasti-call and Civil, OxfordUniversityPress.NewYork2008,p.301.

46

G.Vico,The New Science, p.63.

47

Ibid.,p.89.

48

See:ibid.,p.90.



takenwifeandbegottenchildren,hedesireshisownwelfarealongwiththatofhisfamily;hav-ingentereduponcivillife,hedesireshisownwelfarealongwiththatofhiscity;whenitsruleisextendedoverseveralpeoples,hedesireshisownwelfarealongwiththatofthenation;whenthenationsareunitedbywars,treatiesofpeace,alliancesandcommerce,hedesireshisownwelfarealongwiththatoftheentirehumanrace.Inalltheseconditionsmandesiresprincipallyhisownutility.Thereforeitisonlybydivineprovidencethathecanbeheldwithintheseorderstopracticejusticeasamemberofthesocietyofthefamily,thestate,andfinallyofmankind.Un-abletoattainalltheutilitieshewishes,heisconstrainedbytheseorderstoseekthosewhicharchisdue;andthisiscalledjust.Thatwhichregulatesallhumanjusticeisthereforedivinejustice,whichisadministeredbydivineprovidencetopreservehumansociety.”49

ThatiswhyVicosetshisNewScienceasapoliticaltheology:“thisSciencemustthereforebearationalciviltheologyofdivineprovidence”.50AccordingtoVico,TheNewSciencemustthereforebeademonstrationofthehistoricalfactofprovidence,51

“…foritmustbeahistoryoftheformsoforderwhich,withouthumandiscernmentorintent,andoftenagainst thedesignsofmen,providencehasgiventothiscommunityof thehumanrace.Forthoughthisworldhasbeencreatedintimeandparticular,theordersestablishedthereinbyprovidenceareuniversalandeternal.IncontemplationofthisinfiniteandeternalprovidenceourSciencefindscertaindivineproofsbywhichitisconfirmedanddemonstrated.Sincedivineprovidencehasomnipotenceasminister,itdevelopsitsordersbymeansaseasyasthenaturalcustomsofmen.Since ithas infinitewisdomascounsellor,whatever it establishes isorder.Sinceithasforitsenditsownimmeasurablegoodness,whateveritordainsmustbedirectedtoagoodalwayssuperiortothatwhichmenhaveproposedtothemselves.”52

Hence,fromthisVico’sconsideration,metaphysicsisthefoundationofNewScienceasapoliticaltheologyand,asheclaimshimself,this

“…Scienceproceedsbyasevereanalysisofhumanthoughtsaboutthehumannecessitiesorutilitiesofsociallife,whicharethe,twoperennialspringsofthenaturallawofnations(…)Initssecondprincipalaspect,theScienceisthereforeahistoryofhumanideas,onwhichitseemsthemetaphysicsofthehumanmindmustproceed.Thisqueenofthesciences,tookitsstartwhenthefirstmenbegantothinkhumanly,andnotwhenthephilosophersbegantoreflectonhumanideas.(…)Todeterminethetimesandplacesforsuchahistory,thatis,whenandwherethesehumanthoughtswereborn,andthustogiveitcertaintybymeansofitsownmetaphysicalchro-nologyandgeography,theScienceappliesalikewisemetaphysicalartofcriticismwithregardtothefoundersofthesesamenations(…)Andthecriterionourcriticismemploys(…)isthattaughtbydivineprovidenceandcommontoallnations,namelythecommonsenseofthehu-manrace,determinedbythenecessaryharmonyofhumanthings,inwhichallthebeautyofthecivilworldconsists.ThedecisivesortofproofinourScienceisthereforethis:that,oncetheseorderswereestablishedbydivineprovidence,thecourseoftheaffairsofthenationshadtobe,mustnowbeandwillhavetobesuchasourSciencedemonstrates,evenifinfiniteworldswereproducedfromtimetotimethrougheternity,whichiscertainlynotthecase.”53

“OurSciencethereforecomestodescribeanidealeternalhistorytraversedintimebythehistoryofeverynationinitsrise,progress,maturity,declineandfall.(…)Bythedefinitionsoftruthandcertitudemenwereforalongperiodincapableoftruthandofreason,whichisthefountofthatinnerjusticebywhichtheintellectissatisfied.ThisjusticewaspracticedbytheHebrews,who,illuminatedbythetrueGod,werebyhisdivinelawforbiddeneventohaveunjust thoughts,aboutwhichnomortallawgiverevertroubledhimself.(FortheHebrewsbelievedinaGodallmindwhosearchestheheartsofmen,andthegentilesbelievedingodscomposedofbodiesandmindwhocouldnotdoso.)Thissameinnerjusticewaslaterreasonedoutbythephilosophers,whodidnotariseuntiltwothousandyearsafterthenationswerefounded.Inthemeantimethenationsweregovernedbythecertitudeofauthority,thatis,bythesamecriterionwhichisusedbyourmetaphysicalcriticism;namelythecommonsenseofthehumanraceandonwhichtheconscienceofallnationsreposes.Sothat,inthisprincipalregard,ourSciencecomestobeaphilosophyofauthority,whichisthefountoftheouterjusticeofwhichthemoraltheologiansspeak.Ofsuchauthorityaccountshouldhavebeentakenbythethreeprincesofthedoctrineofthenaturallaw[Grotius,Selden,Pufendorf]ofnations,andnotofthatdrawnfrompassagesinthewriters.Fortheauthorityofwhichwespeakreignedamongthenationsformorethanathousandyearsbeforewriterscouldarise,andtheycouldhavetakennocognizanceofit.”54



ThatkindofauthorityofwhichVicowritesisapoliticaltheologyagainbe-cause

“…thedivineprovidencewatchesover thewelfareofallmankind.So that thisSciencebe-comes,inthisprincipalaspect,arationalciviltheologyofdivineprovidence,whichbeganinthevulgarwisdomofthelawgiverswhofoundedthenationsbycontemplatingGodundertheattributeofprovidence,andwhichiscompletedbytheesotericwisdomofthephilosopherswhogivearationaldemonstrationofitintheirnaturaltheology.”55

ThusbeginswhatwearetryingtoshowinthispaperandwhichisalsoakeyVico’sposition.“Herebeginsalsoaphilosophyofauthority,asecondprinci-palaspectofthisScience,takingthewordauthorityinitsoriginalmeaningofproperty.“56Politicaltheologyisrecognizablebytransformingdivineauthor-itytohuman(civil)authority.

“Authoritywasatfirstdivine;theauthoritybywhichdivinityappropriatedtoitselfthefewgi-antsbyproperlycastingthemintothedepthsandrecessesofthecavesunderthemountains.(…)Uponthisdivineauthorityfollowedhumanauthorityinthefullphilosophicsenseoftheterm,thatis,thepropertyofhumannaturewhichnotevenGodcantakefrommanwithoutdestroyinghim.(…)Thisauthorityisthefreeuseofthewill,theintellectontheotherhandbeingapas-sivepowersubjecttotruth.Forfromthisfirstpointofallhumanthings,menbegantoexercisethefreedomofthehumanwilltoholdincheckthemotionsofthebody,eithertosubduethementirelyortogivethembetterdirection.Thisauthorityofhumannaturewasfollowedbytheauthorityofnaturallaw;for,havingoccupiedandremainedsettledforalongtimeintheplaceswheretheychancedtofindthemselvesatthetimeofthefirstthunderbolts,theybecamelordsofthembyoccupationandlongpossession,thesourceofalldominionintheworld.Thesearethose(…)whomthephilosopherslatermetamorphosedintomenfavoredbyGodwithnaturalaptitudesforscienceandvirtue.“Thisphilosophyofauthorityfollowstherationalciviltheologyofprovidencebecausebymeansoftheformer’stheologicalproofsthelatterwithitsphilosophi-calonesmakesclearanddistinctthephilologicalones.”57

ThisiswhyVicocriticizesGrotius,SeldenandPufendorf–becauseoftheirrejectionofdivineprovidenceinpolitical(law)order.

“FirstGrotius,justbecauseofthegreatlovehebearsthetruth,setsasidedivineprovidenceandprofessesthathissystemwillstandevenifallknowledgeofGodbeleftoutofaccount.ThusallthereproofswhichinagreatnumberofmattershebringsagainsttheRomanjurists,donottouchthematall,sincetheytookdivineprovidencefortheirfirstprincipleandproposedtotreatofthenaturallawofnations,notthatofthephilosophersandmoraltheologians.ThenSeldenassumesprovidence,Vicocontinues,butwithoutpayinganyattentiontotheinhospitablenessofthefirstpeoples,ortothedivisionthepeopleofGodmadeofthewholeworldofnationsatthattimeintoHebrewsandgentiles.Ortothefactthat,sincetheHebrewshadlostsightoftheirnaturallawduringtheirslaveryinEgypt,GodhimselfmusthavereestablisheditforthembythelawhegaveMosesonSinai.OrtothefurtherfactthatGodinhislawforbidseventhoughtsthatarelessthanjust,withwhichnomortallawgiverhasevertroubledhimself.(…)Andfinally

49

Ibid.

50

Ibid.

51

Throughout the entire book Vico arguesagainsttheEpicureansandStoicswhoreject-edtheideaofgodandthoughtwronglyhowaccident(Epicureans)or thechainofcauses(Stoics)governstheworld.Itdepends“uponthe omnipotent,wise and beneficentwill ofthebestandgreatestGod”,ibid.,p.92.

52

Ibid.,p.91.

53

Ibid.

54

Ibid.,p.93.

55

Ibid.,p.108–109.

56

Ibid.,p.109.

57

Ibid.,p.110.



PufendorfbeginswithanEpicureanhypothesis,supposingmantohavebeencastintothisworldwithoutanyhelporcarefromGod.Reprovedforthis,hedefendshimselfinaspecialdisserta-tion,but,becausehedoesnotadmitprovidenceashisfirstprinciple,hecannotevenbegintospeakoflaw.”58

Vicoconcludes:

“Thusourtreatmentofnaturallawbeginswiththeideaofdivineprovidence,inthesamebirthwithwhichwasborntheideaoflaw.Forlawbegannaturallytobeobserved,inthemannerex-aminedabove,bythefoundersofthegcntcsproperlysocalled,thoseofthemostancientorder,whichwerecalledgentesmaiores,whosefirstgodwasJove.”59

PoliticaltheologybasedonmetaphysicalprinciplesVicotriestoexemplifyinrealsocio-politicalframeworkswiththreetypesoffeudalorders,wherebythedivineprovidenceasapoliticaltheologyisreflectedinthethirdtype,thatof civil ownership.The firstwas bonitary ownership, the second onewasquiritary ownership of noble, heroic or armed fiefs.The third, called civilownership

“…wasthatwhichtheheroiccities,composedinthebeginningofheroesonly,hadoverthelandsbycertaindivinefiefswhichthefamilyfathershadpreviouslyreceivedfromtheprovidentdivinity(invirtueofwhichtheyhadfoundthemselvessovereignsinthestateofthefamilies,andhadunitedthemselvesinreigningordersinthestateofthecities);andthustheybecamesover-eigncivilkingdomssubjecttothesupremesovereignGod,whoseprovidenceisrecognizedbyallsovereigncivilpowers.Thisismadeplaintohumanunderstandingbytheexplicitavowalofsovereignpowersinaddingtotheirtitlesofmajestysuchphrasesas‘bydivineprovidence’or‘bythegraceofGod,’throughwhichtheymustpubliclyprofesstohavereceivedtheirking-doms.Sothatifworshipofprovidencewereforbidden,thenaturalconsequencewouldbetheirfall,foranationoffatalistsorcasualistsoratheistsneverexistedintheworld,andwesawabovethatallthenationsoftheworld,throughfourprimaryreligionsandnomore[paganism,Juda-ism,Christianity,Islam],believeinaprovidentdivinity.”60

Conclusion

WehavetriedtoshowthatGiambattistaVicobelongstoaspecifictraditionofthought–politicaltheology–becauseheusesmetaphysicalargumentsforthedevelopmentofcivil society (nations)andpoliticalorders.That introducesVico,atthesametime,asapioneeroftheconceptofpoliticaltheologythatwillbeformulatedinthe20thcentury.ItisimportanttoseethatVicocom-bines several fundamentalprinciplesofpolitical theology, likeprovidence,God’ssovereignty,thehistoricalapproachtothedevelopmentofsocietiesandmonarchicalorderasaformof traditionalunderstandingofpolitical theol-ogy.Vico’simportanceisthatitshowshowbehindofsocialorpoliticalordermustexistaspiritualstrengthwhichmeansgood,justiceandmorality.Vicoshowedhowallgovernmentsinallphasesoftheirdevelopmentarisefromthemetaphysicalpostulatesthatmanifestthemselvesaspoliticaltheology.Thus,therearethreetypesofnature(thenatureofthetheologicalpoets,he-roicnature,humannature);threetypesofcustoms;threekindsofnaturallaws(divine,heroic,human),threekindsofgovernments(divineortheocratic,her-oisoraristocratic,human);threekindsoflanguages(divinementallanguage,heroicblazonings,articulatespeech);threekindsofcharacters(divineorhier-oglyphics,heroiccharacters,vulgarcharacters);threekindsofjurisprudence(divineormystictheology,heroicjurisprudence,humanjurisprudence);threekindsofauthority(divine,heroic,human),threekindsofreason(divine,rea-son of state, natural reason); three kinds of judgments (divine judgments,ordinary judgments,human judgments).Eachof thesestructural segments,whicharedevelopedbyVico,isderivedfromthemetaphysicalprinciplesof



providencethatenabledhumansocialandpoliticalcommunitytobaseitselfontheprincipleofthepoliticaltheologylookingtowardGod.Themain thesisof theNew Science is theseparationof thenaturalworld,whichismetaphysicallydetermined,andtheworldofhistorycreatedbyman,butregardlessofthisseparation,manmakeshistorymodelledonGod’sat-tributes transformed into thenation’shistoricalprogress.The crucialpointisthateverythingbeginsinthemetaphysicalconceptofGodandendsinthehumancommunitymodelledonmetaphysicalprinciplesappliedtopoliticalcommunities,whichisauniqueconceptofpoliticaltheology.ItprovesthatVico’sNew Science is amasterpiece of political theology based onmeta-physicalprinciplesthatallowpeopletocreatetheirownworld.

Goran Sunajko

Vicova Nova znanostkaopolitičkateologija

SažetakRad pokazuje kako je Vicova filozofija razrađena u Novojznanosti pozicija onoga što će se kasnije odrediti političkom teologijom. Time rad polazi od određenja pojma političke teologije i prikazuje načela koja će Vica svrstati u tu specifičnu tradiciju filozofijskoga mišljenja. U tom smislu Vicova je filozofija utemeljena na metafizičkoj tradiciji i time postaje jasno kako može biti određena kao politička teologija. Vicova analiza je utemeljena na klasičnoj tipologiji oblika vladavine koju su razmatrali Platon i Aristotel, ali uključuje i filozofiju povijesti kako bi po-kazala, suprotno uobičajenim razmatranjima, da se politički oblici vladavine kreću od metafi-zičkoga načela jednoga (monarhija), nekolicine (aristokracija) i svih (demokracija) i konačno završavaju u metafizičkome postulatu jednoga koji je ponovno najbolje izražen u monarhiji. Za tu metodu Vico koristi klasični obrazac političke teologije s principom božanske providnosti u formiranju političkih zajednica, jer je to središnji koncept političke teologije. Razlog je to zbog kojeg Vico pokazuje kako su prve zajednice bile utemeljene na religijskim postulatima, a tek kas-nije na filozofskima. Autor zaključuje kako Vicova Novaznanost može biti određena kao važno djelo filozofije politike utemeljeno na političkoj teologiji koje danas, u uvjetima materijalizirane globalizacije ponovno postaje važna pozicija u prevladavanju krize modernoga materijalizma svijeta.

KljučneriječiGiambattistaVico,filozofijapolitike,političkateologija,država,providnost,metafizika,suverenost

Goran Sunajko

Vicos Neue Wissenschaft als politische Theologie

ZusammenfassungDie Arbeit vertritt die Ansicht, die in der NeuenWissenschaft erarbeitete Philosophie Vicos sei eine Position dessen, was später als politische Theologie bezeichnet wird. Daher fängt das Paper von der Definition des Begriffs der politischen Theologie an und zeigt die Prinzipien, die Vico in diese spezifische Tradition des philosophischen Denkens einordnen. In diesem Sinne gründet sich Vicos Philosophie auf die metaphysische Tradition und es ist klar, dass sie als politische Theologie charakterisiert werden kann. Vicos Analyse basiert auf der klassischen Ty-pologie der politischen (Herrschafts)form, wie sie von Platon und Aristoteles aufgestellt wurde, schließt jedoch die Philosophie der Geschichte ein, um im Gegensatz zu üblichen Überlegungen

58

Ibid.,p.111.

59

Ibid.,p.112.

60

Ibid,p.197.



zu zeigen, dass sich die politischen Regierungsformen von dem metaphysischen Prinzip des einen (Monarchie), der einigen (Aristokratie) und der allen (Demokratie) verschoben und letzt-endlich im metaphysischen Postulat des einen endeten, das wieder am besten in der Monarchie zum Ausdruck kommt. Für diese Methode verwendet Vico das klassische Muster der politischen Theologie mit dem Prinzip der göttlichen Vorsehung in der Bildung politischer Gemeinschaften, weil dies ein zentrales Konzept der politischen Theologie ist. Und dies ist der Grund, aus dem Vico zeigt, dass die ersten Gemeinschaften auf Religionspostulaten fußten und erst nachträglich auf philosophischen. Der Autor kommt zu dem Schluss, Vicos NeueWissenschaft könne als ein bedeutendes Werk der auf die politische Theologie sich stützenden politischen Philosophie definiert werden, das in heutigen Bedingungen der materiellen Globalisierung einmal mehr eine wichtige Position einnimmt in der Bewältigung der Krise des modernen Materialismus in der Welt.

SchlüsselwörterGiambattistaVico,politischePhilosophie,politischeTheologie,Staat,Vorsehung,Metaphysik,Sou-veränität

Goran Sunajko

La science nouvelle de Vico comme théologie politique

RésuméCet article montre que la philosophie de Vico, élaborée dans Lasciencenouvelle, est la po-sition de ce qui va plus tard être considérée comme une théologie politique. Ainsi, ce travail commence par la définition du concept de théologie politique et démontre les principes à partir desquels on peut classer Vico dans cette tradition philosophique de pensée spécifique. En ce sens la philosophie de Vico se fonde sur une tradition métaphysique et il est clair qu’elle peut être caractérisée de théologie politique. L’analyse de Vico trouve sa source dans la typologie classique des régimes politiques que Platon et Aristote ont étudié. Elle inclut aussi une philo-sophie de l’histoire dans le but de montrer, contrairement aux considérations habituelles, que les formes politiques de gouvernement partent du principe de l’un (monarchie), de plusieurs (aristocratie), de tous (démocratie), et enfin se terminent dans le postulat métaphysique de l’un, à nouveau exprimé dans la monarchie. Pour cette méthode Vico se sert du modèle classique de théologie politique et de son principe de providence divine dans la formation des communautés politiques, concept central en théologie politique. C’est la raison pour laquelle Vico montre que les premières communautés ont été fondées sur des postulats religieux, et seulement plus tard sur des postulats philosophiques. L’auteur conclut que Lasciencenouvelle de Vico peut être dé-finie comme une œuvre majeure de philosophie politique fondée sur une théologie politique, qui aujourd’hui, dans des conditions de globalisation matérielle, reprend une position importante dans le dépassement de la crise du matérialisme moderne.

Mots-clésGiambattistaVico,philosophiepolitique, théologiepolitique,État,providence,métaphysique,sou-veraineté

Documents

Vico’s New Science as a Political TheologyVico’s New Science as a Political Theology Abstract The paper considers that Vico’s philosophy developed in the New Science is a position