We can discover which science this is and the sort of things with which it deals by carefully examining the qualities of a good ruler. Haec autem est, quae circa maxime intelligibilia versatur. Sicut enim, ut in libro praedicto Philosophus dicit, homines intellectu vigentes, naturaliter aliorum rectores et domini sunt: homines vero qui sunt robusti corpore, intellectu vero deficientes, sunt naturaliter servi: ita scientia debet esse naturaliter aliarum regulatrix, quae maxime intellectualis est. Quae autem sit haec scientia, et circa qualia, considerari potest, si diligenter respiciatur quomodo est aliquis idoneus ad regendum. For it is the office of the wise man to direct others. Hence one of these sciences and arts must be the mistress of all the others, and this rightly lays claim to the name of wisdom. Now all the sciences and arts are ordained to one thing, namely, to man’s perfection, which is happiness. The same thing is true of the soul’s powers, for the concupiscible and irascible appetites are ruled in a natural order by reason. This is evident in the union of soul and body, for the soul naturally commands and the body obeys. When several things are ordained to one thing, one of them must rule or govern and the rest be ruled or governed, as the Philosopher teaches in the Politics. Unde necesse est, quod una earum sit aliarum omnium rectrix, quae nomen sapientiae recte vindicat. Omnes autem scientiae et artes ordinantur in unum, scilicet ad hominis perfectionem, quae est eius beatitudo. Similiter etiam inter animae vires: irascibilis enim et concupiscibilis naturali ordine per rationem reguntur. Quod quidem patet in unione animae et corporis nam anima naturaliter imperat, et corpus obedit. 42.Sententia libri Metaphysicae Commentary on the Metaphysics Prooemium Prologue Sicut docet Philosophus in Politicis suis, quando aliqua plura ordinantur ad unum, oportet unum eorum esse regulans, sive regens, et alia regulata, sive recta. Judicia displicent, out nulla sunt? vis dominetur necesse est? Haec vident omnes. Vim volumus extingui? Jus valeat necesse est, id est, judicia, quibus omne jus continetur. Horum utro uti nolimus, altero est utendum. Atque inter hanc vitam, perpolitam humanitate, & illam immanem, nibil tam interest quam JUS atque VIS. Tum res ad communem utilitatem, quas publicas ap|pellamus, tum conventicula hominum, quae postea civitates nominatae sunt, tum domicilia conjuncta, quas urbes dicamus, invento & di|vino & humano jure, maenibus fepserunt. Quis enim vestrûm, judices, ignorat, ita naturam rerum tulisse, ut quodam tempore homines, nondum neque naturali, neque civili jure descripto, fusi per agros, ac dispersi vagarentur, tantumque haberent quantum manu ac viri|bus, per caedem ac vulnera, aut eripere, aut retinere potuissent? Qui igitur primi virtute & consilio praestanti extiterunt, ii perspecto genere humanae docilitatis atque ingenii, dissipatos, unum in locum congregarunt, cosque ex feritate illa ad justitiam ac mansuetudinem transdexerunt. Woolaston, who has constant Recourse to Hebrew and Arabic Authors for the same Purpose. Cicero, on the contrary, supposes it certain and universally acknowledged in the following beautiful Passage, which is the only Authority I shall cite for these Reason|ings: Not imitating in this the Example of Puffendorf, nor even that of Grotius, who think a Verse from Ovid or Plautus or Pe|tronius a necessary Warrant for every moral Truth or the Exam|ple of Mr. endeavours to refute an Hypothesis very like it in the 2d, 3d and 4th Books de Republica. The Result of their untam'd Selfishness and Barba|rityThis Fiction of a State of Nature, as a State of War, was not first started by Mr. Right and a perpetual War of All against All was No Rule of Justice known: No Distinction of Pro|perty That they could give no mutual Trust, but must eachĭepend upon himself, and his own Force or Cunningįor Protection and Security. Ignorance and savage Nature were so prevalent, On the first Origin of Mankind, as we are told, their Violence, attended with the most extreme Necessity. Latter is pointed out as a State of mutual War and
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