THE PHYSIOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THE ORGANIC METAPHOE IN JOHN OF SALISBURY'S POLICRATICUS

In: History of political thought, Band 8, Heft 2, S. 211-223

Abstract

METAPHORS FROM THE TIME OF ANCIENT GREEKS THROUGH THE MIDDLE AGES HAVE LIKENED POLITICS OR SOCIETY TO A LIVING BODY. PREVIOUS THEORY HAS HELD THAT JOHN OF SALISBURY'S "POLICRATICUS" CONTINUES THIS COURSE, ASSIGNING EACH PART OF THE STATE TO A PART OF THE BODY, THUS EMPHASIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF DIFFERENTIATION OF HUMAN TASKS. A HEALTHY STATE MEANS THAT EACH PART OF THE BODY IS PERFORMING ITS ROLE, NOT USURPING TASKS FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE BODY. JOHN OF SALISBURY DOES NOT GO BEYOND THIS, BUT SIMPLY ADDS QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH. THE AUTHOR SETS OUT TO PROVE THAT JOHN OF SALISBURY'S THEORY OWES LITTLE TO THIS IDEA, BUT RATHER THAT HIS APPROACH IS PHYSIOLOGICAL, EMPHASIZING COOPERATION OF BODY PARTS TO ACHIEVE A COMMON AIM. THIS IS A BOLD STEP FORWARD IN MEDIEVAL PHILOSOPHY.