This project focuses on the political thought of St. Augustine and Machiavelli as two eminent examples of thinkers who have elaborated their political reflection from a reflection on the history of Rome.
The director of the Institute of Philosophy, Manfred Svensson, is leading a research project entitled Conflict, religion and virtue. Political philosophy and Roman history in Augustine of Hippo and Machiavelli.. This project focuses on the political thought of St. Augustine and Machiavelli as two eminent examples of thinkers who have elaborated their political reflection from a reflection on the history of Rome.
The investigation starts from the simple fact that Augustine and Machiavelli analyze the same historical events and passages from Roman chroniclers, but reach opposite conclusions on fundamental issues such as the nature of virtue and necessity.
"Augustine is a thinker to whom I already devoted myself in my doctoral thesis, about twenty years ago, and I am sure that the contrast with Machiavelli will give his thesis a sharper profile," says Svensson.