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February 9, 2015
Historical context
His thoughts
On society
On politics
On sociology
Critical analysis
Impact and relevance
Integrating lecture
Section 1
Historical context
Left for Hippo with his mother and son but returned alone
Section 2
His thoughts
Subsection 1
On society
States
Origin
The state has been created by God as a punitive and equilibrant
instrument for the sinner that is mankind.
Nature
There is no ideal state because no state can emulate true justice,
which emanates from God alone.
Dynamics
No state can fully exact justice and, consequently, no state can
claim full legitimacy.
Nature
The former consists of those who seek God in living venerable lives
and the latter consists of those who desire the temporal goods of
the earth.
Dynamics
The citizens of the former treat this life as what it
istemporaland, as such, they do not attach themselves to it,
unlike the citizens of the latter.
Subsection 2
On politics
Rulers
Origin
Rulers derive their authority from God just as he has created the
state that they rule.
Nature
Rulers are Gods ministers, through which he keeps order and
justice in the world.
Dynamics
Rulers, being vested with power by God, oblige their subjects to
obedience regardless of their reason, or lack thereof, unless they
contradict divine law.
Subsection 3
On sociology
Nature
We have a desire for power, authority, vanity, and other
vices.
Dynamics
We, as a result, try to conquer each other in search of these
temporal desires.
Just wars
Origin
The righteous live in the imperfect earthly city.
Nature
The righteous cannot avoid wars with the malevolent and, as such,
are justified in fighting them.
Dynamics
The righteous are obliged to subject themselves to the greater
political powers that govern them, even to the point of war.
Justice in war
Origin
War is an inevitable human condition that the righteous have to
live with.
Nature
However, the righteous, being righteous, have the duty to at least
minimize wars and the damage they cause.
Dynamics
The righteous may only wage war for the right reasons, such as
self-defense, retrieval of illicitly acquired possessions, rectifying the
enemies mistakes, etc. Moreover, war must be waged with the
restoration in peace in mind as endpoint.
Peace
Origin
There are two cities, each one with its own reasons for peace.
There are three kinds of peace, which all belong to the people of
God.
Nature
Peace between the citizens of the earthly city is selfish and is
meant only to acquire their desires. Unadulterate peace will never
be achieved in this life.
Dynamics
Peace will be nothing but periods of inactivity between wars, the
manifestation of mans violent nature. However, in order to
prevent their own destruction, they will also desire for peace.
Section 3
Critical analysis
Section 4
Impact and relevance
War
Section 5
Integrating lecture
Area of Concern
Society (ideal state)
Politics (ruler)
Sociology (citizens action)
Plato
Commonwealth
Philosopher king
Aristotle
Republic
Middle class
St Augustine
Does not exist on earth
Existent political structures
Obedience