Henning Arnisaeus
Encyclopedia
Henning Arnisaeus (1570-1636) was a German physician and moral philosopher. He is now known for his writings on political theory.
of Germany, near Huy
. He studied philosophy and medicine at the Protestant University of Helmstedt
from 1589. After travels in England and France, he became court physician to Christian IV of Denmark
.
. He used an Aristotelian
analysis to distinguish in political thought between the civitas
and the res publica
, in a critique of Jean Bodin
, Johannes Althusius
, Busius (Paulus Buis or Buys, died 1617), and Bartholomäus Keckermann
. He particularly criticized Bodin's strictures on mixed government
in his 1606 Doctrina politica. That work also incorporated Tacitean ideas, under the influence of Arnold Clapmar, within the Aristotelian and humanist framework he proposed, attacking the Ramist critics of Aristotle.
While Arnisaeus saw a role for civil society
, he did not admit any qualification of the power of the 'magistrate'. In 1610 in De jure majestatis he took Bodin's part against the mixed state; even so, in relation to Holy Roman Empire
and its institutions he admitted that sovereignty could in practical terms be distributed among several authorities. He is therefore classed as an 'absolutist', a supporter of absolute monarchy
. Theoretically, in the case of the Empire, he argued that sovereignty lay with the Prince-elector
s. This was very much a minority view among Germans, opposed by Althusius and Keckermann, as well as Hermann Kirchner, Daniel Otto, and Tobias Paurmeister, all of whom took the view that the Emperor was a true monarch.
Against Althusius, he argued that (true) monarchy could be compromised by concessions of power that distorted the 'form' of the state, and that this was a more accurate description of the actual French state.
His ideas were influential in the setting up of Danish absolutism.
Life
He was born in Schlanstedt, a village in the Harz districtHarz (district)
- History :The district was established by merging the former districts of Halberstadt, Wernigerode and Quedlinburg as well as the city of Falkenstein as part of the reform of 2007.-Towns and municipalities:...
of Germany, near Huy
Huy, Germany
Huy is a municipality in the district of Harz, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, established in 2002 by the merger of eleven villages. It is named after the small Huy hill range and situated about 10 kilometres northwest of Halberstadt....
. He studied philosophy and medicine at the Protestant University of Helmstedt
University of Helmstedt
The University of Helmstedt, official Latin name: Academia Julia , was a university in Helmstedt in the Duchy of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel that existed from 1576 until 1810....
from 1589. After travels in England and France, he became court physician to Christian IV of Denmark
Christian IV of Denmark
Christian IV was the king of Denmark-Norway from 1588 until his death. With a reign of more than 59 years, he is the longest-reigning monarch of Denmark, and he is frequently remembered as one of the most popular, ambitious and proactive Danish kings, having initiated many reforms and projects...
.
Views
At Helmstedt he became a pupil of Cornelius Martini, a Lutheran metaphysician who also influenced Hermann ConringHermann Conring
Hermann Conring was a German intellectual. He made significant contributions to the study of medicine, politics and law....
. He used an Aristotelian
Aristotelianism
Aristotelianism is a tradition of philosophy that takes its defining inspiration from the work of Aristotle. The works of Aristotle were initially defended by the members of the Peripatetic school, and, later on, by the Neoplatonists, who produced many commentaries on Aristotle's writings...
analysis to distinguish in political thought between the civitas
Civitas
In the history of Rome, the Latin term civitas , according to Cicero in the time of the late Roman Republic, was the social body of the cives, or citizens, united by law . It is the law that binds them together, giving them responsibilities on the one hand and rights of citizenship on the other...
and the res publica
Res publica
Res publica is a Latin phrase, loosely meaning "public affair". It is the root of the word republic, and the word commonwealth has traditionally been used as a synonym for it; however translations vary widely according to the context...
, in a critique of Jean Bodin
Jean Bodin
Jean Bodin was a French jurist and political philosopher, member of the Parlement of Paris and professor of law in Toulouse. He is best known for his theory of sovereignty; he was also an influential writer on demonology....
, Johannes Althusius
Johannes Althusius
Johannes Althusius was a German jurist and Calvinist political philosopher.He is best known for his 1603 work, "Politica Methodice Digesta, Atque Exemplis Sacris et Profanis Illustrata"; revised editions were published in 1610 and 1614...
, Busius (Paulus Buis or Buys, died 1617), and Bartholomäus Keckermann
Bartholomäus Keckermann
Bartholomäus Keckermann in Danzig was a German writer, Calvinist theologian and philosopher. He is known for his Analytic Method...
. He particularly criticized Bodin's strictures on mixed government
Mixed government
Mixed government, also known as a mixed constitution, is a form of government that integrates elements of democracy, aristocracy, and monarchy. In a mixed government, some issues are decided by the majority of the people, some other issues by few, and some other issues by a single person...
in his 1606 Doctrina politica. That work also incorporated Tacitean ideas, under the influence of Arnold Clapmar, within the Aristotelian and humanist framework he proposed, attacking the Ramist critics of Aristotle.
While Arnisaeus saw a role for civil society
Civil society
Civil society is composed of the totality of many voluntary social relationships, civic and social organizations, and institutions that form the basis of a functioning society, as distinct from the force-backed structures of a state , the commercial institutions of the market, and private criminal...
, he did not admit any qualification of the power of the 'magistrate'. In 1610 in De jure majestatis he took Bodin's part against the mixed state; even so, in relation to Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
and its institutions he admitted that sovereignty could in practical terms be distributed among several authorities. He is therefore classed as an 'absolutist', a supporter of absolute monarchy
Absolute monarchy
Absolute monarchy is a monarchical form of government in which the monarch exercises ultimate governing authority as head of state and head of government, his or her power not being limited by a constitution or by the law. An absolute monarch thus wields unrestricted political power over the...
. Theoretically, in the case of the Empire, he argued that sovereignty lay with the Prince-elector
Prince-elector
The Prince-electors of the Holy Roman Empire were the members of the electoral college of the Holy Roman Empire, having the function of electing the Roman king or, from the middle of the 16th century onwards, directly the Holy Roman Emperor.The heir-apparent to a prince-elector was known as an...
s. This was very much a minority view among Germans, opposed by Althusius and Keckermann, as well as Hermann Kirchner, Daniel Otto, and Tobias Paurmeister, all of whom took the view that the Emperor was a true monarch.
Against Althusius, he argued that (true) monarchy could be compromised by concessions of power that distorted the 'form' of the state, and that this was a more accurate description of the actual French state.
His ideas were influential in the setting up of Danish absolutism.
Works
- Doctrina politica in genuinam methodum, quae est Aristotelis, reducta (1606)
- De constitutione et partibus Metaphysicae, (Frankfurt, 1606)
- Epitome metaphysicae (1606)
- De jure majestatis (Frankfurt, 1610)
- Vindiciae pro Aristotele et Sanioribus quibusque philosophis contra Thomae Rhaedi Scoti pervigilia & dissertationem elencticam de subjecto metaphysicae & natura entis assertae (Frankfurt, 1611). During the period 1608-9 he made a public disputation on metaphysics, with the Scottish philosopher and humanist Thomas ReidThomas Reid (humanist)Thomas Reid was a Scottish humanist and philosopher who became Latin secretary to King James VI and I.-Life:He was second son of James Reid, minister of Banchory Ternan, Kincardineshire, a cadet of the Pitfoddels family. Alexander Reid the surgeon was a younger brother...
(Rhaedus) who was at RostockRostockRostock -Early history:In the 11th century Polabian Slavs founded a settlement at the Warnow river called Roztoc ; the name Rostock is derived from that designation. The Danish king Valdemar I set the town aflame in 1161.Afterwards the place was settled by German traders...
. This book was the written form of his reply to Reid. - De auctoritate principum in populum semper inviolabili (Frankfurt, 1612)
- De subjectione et exemptione clericorum (Frankfurt, 1612)
- De Republica, seu Relectionis politicae libri duo (Argentorati, 1636)
- Opera politica (Strassburg, 1648).
External links
- Index librorum prohibitorum: 1600-1966, by Jesús Martínez de Bujanda, Marcella Richter
- :de:s:ADB:Arnisaeus, Henning http://www.philso.uni-augsburg.de/web2/Politik1/arnis.html