What is Augustinian political philosophy - Essay Example

Medieval political philosophy focused on several primary questions. Among them the most important ones will be discussed in our paper/ Schall, 1984/. First question, which was studied and revealed in the works of Medieval philosophers, is the question of the best city and its location. Philosophers were trying to compare and contrast existing cities, which were quite numerous and diverse, in order to find out which of the contemporary regimes was better and in what way. Different philosophers argued what regime was the best and where it was situated.

According to classics the best regime subsisted in speech. One definite answer to this question was that the best regime can not be seen in any of existing states and was not presented by any of the existing actual regimes / Schall, 1984/. The second important question of political philosophy of the Medieval period is that of the essence of human happiness. Political philosophers are interested not only in the core of happiness of a man in general but also in its connection with the temporary life of the men mortal during his secular life.

Although these questions are closely connected they are far not the same. During his life on the earth a man can reach happiness if he realises his potentialities at full capacity. These potentialities are originally given to him by nature. However, in spite of the fact that happiness is given to a man “from above” it is not he who chooses its constituents. They are already given to him and his primary task is to see and try to reach them. In any case this question of the happiness of the man mortal further raises the question of eternal happiness/ Schall, 1984/.

One more important question, which is discovered in the works of Medieval political philosophers is the question of the importance of politics to the achievement of human happiness. Philosophers argue that the man is not originally born as he is. It is politics which polishes him to a “good” man. This