|
||
Name:
Joseph-Marie de Maistre
Dates:
Born: April 1, 1754 in Chamberry, France
Died: 1821
Specialization:
Political Philosophy
Thomism
Major Works:
Considerations on France (1796)
Essay on the Generating Principle of Political Constitutions (1810)
Saint Petersburg Evenings (1821)
The Pope (1821)
Biography
Joseph-Marie de Maistre was a political philosopher and diplomat who urged the
creation of a Roman Catholic theocracy in order to preserve morality and religion.
According to de Maistre, the general decline in moral values and reilgious ideals
could be traced to the "satanic" French Revolution and the spread of Englightenment
ideas regarding freedom of thought, freedom of belief, and the primacy of reason.
He argued that people would be better off if they surrendered both reason and
philosophy to faith and religion.
Fundamentally a pessimist regarding human nature, a basic principle underlying most forms of political and religious conservatism, de Maistre believed that people's recognition of their own sinfulness led them to crave order and discipline; this, in turn, is what leads to the development and need for strong, authoritative leaders and political institutions.
Also Known As: none
Alternate Spellings: none
Common Misspellings: none
Related Resources:
Biographies of Philosophers
This index of biographical index of famous philosophers throughout history includes many others who have contributed to our understanding of human nature and life - including sociologists, psychologists, scientists, and more.What is Philosophy?
What is philosophy? Is there any point in studying philosophy, or is it a useless subject? What are the different branches of philosophy - what's the difference between aestheitcs and ethics? What's the difference between metaphysics and epistemology?
