Theologia, Ethics, and Natural Law in Locke's Classifications of Knowledge and Adversaria
Between 1670 and 1687, Locke wrote some classifications of the branches of knowledge and some adversaria containing guidelines for the writing of commonplace books. Both are to be found in his notebooks and journals. Locke’s classifications represent an important source for investigating the...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Western Libraries, The University of Western Ontario
2014-12-01
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| Series: | Locke Studies |
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| Online Access: | https://ojs.lib.uwo.ca/index.php/locke/article/view/729 |
| _version_ | 1797978965485289472 |
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| author | Giuliana Di Biase |
| author_facet | Giuliana Di Biase |
| author_sort | Giuliana Di Biase |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Between 1670 and 1687, Locke wrote some classifications of the branches of knowledge and some adversaria containing guidelines for the writing of commonplace books. Both are to be found in his notebooks and journals. Locke’s classifications represent an important source for investigating the role and relevance he attributed to traditional academic disciplines such as Theologia, Metaphysica, and Physica, and, in particular, his manner of conceiving of the object of theology. With reference to the latter, the classifications show important modifications over time: the first schemes (1670–72) are representative of a naturalistic approach to theology, whereas later schemes (1681) are more sensitive to the model introduced by the theological systems of Reformed theologians such as Polanus and Ames, who insisted on the practical dimension of the discipline. ‘Ethica sive lex naturae’, one of the subheadings of Theologia in Locke’s earlier classifications, is absent from those he wrote in 1681, having been substituted by ‘Moralia’: this substitution seems to be motivated by Locke’s intention to emphasize the relevance of the performance of moral duties, the objects of ‘Moralia’, in Christian life. In a later scheme dating from c.1686–7, Locke remoulds his manner of classifying completely—the outline is similar in some respects to the division of the sciences on the last pages of the Essay concerning Human Understanding. Theologia is subsumed under Physica, whereas Politia and Prudentia, two of the main headings in Locke’s earlier classifications, are positioned under a new heading, Practica, inspired by the Aristotelian model. Ethics is located under this heading, before Politia and Prudentia. This ordering might be due to Locke’s intention to emphasize the priority of ethics and its basis, natural law, with respect to politics and civil law, a priority which was not clearly represented in his previous schemes. In order to investigate the role and relevance attributed to ethics and natural law in Locke’s various classifications, I will focus on each scheme separately; in the conclusion, attention will be drawn to another, later outline of Theologia which Locke composed in 1694, where ethics is once again one of the branches of theology but there is no longer any mention of natural law. Revelation, not natural law, appears to be the basis of ethics in this later scheme.
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| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T05:31:25Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5cc4b3b67e594c018c121fed1a0478d1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2561-925X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T05:31:25Z |
| publishDate | 2014-12-01 |
| publisher | Western Libraries, The University of Western Ontario |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Locke Studies |
| spelling | doaj.art-5cc4b3b67e594c018c121fed1a0478d12022-12-22T17:00:47ZengWestern Libraries, The University of Western OntarioLocke Studies2561-925X2014-12-011410.5206/ls.2014.729Theologia, Ethics, and Natural Law in Locke's Classifications of Knowledge and AdversariaGiuliana Di Biase Between 1670 and 1687, Locke wrote some classifications of the branches of knowledge and some adversaria containing guidelines for the writing of commonplace books. Both are to be found in his notebooks and journals. Locke’s classifications represent an important source for investigating the role and relevance he attributed to traditional academic disciplines such as Theologia, Metaphysica, and Physica, and, in particular, his manner of conceiving of the object of theology. With reference to the latter, the classifications show important modifications over time: the first schemes (1670–72) are representative of a naturalistic approach to theology, whereas later schemes (1681) are more sensitive to the model introduced by the theological systems of Reformed theologians such as Polanus and Ames, who insisted on the practical dimension of the discipline. ‘Ethica sive lex naturae’, one of the subheadings of Theologia in Locke’s earlier classifications, is absent from those he wrote in 1681, having been substituted by ‘Moralia’: this substitution seems to be motivated by Locke’s intention to emphasize the relevance of the performance of moral duties, the objects of ‘Moralia’, in Christian life. In a later scheme dating from c.1686–7, Locke remoulds his manner of classifying completely—the outline is similar in some respects to the division of the sciences on the last pages of the Essay concerning Human Understanding. Theologia is subsumed under Physica, whereas Politia and Prudentia, two of the main headings in Locke’s earlier classifications, are positioned under a new heading, Practica, inspired by the Aristotelian model. Ethics is located under this heading, before Politia and Prudentia. This ordering might be due to Locke’s intention to emphasize the priority of ethics and its basis, natural law, with respect to politics and civil law, a priority which was not clearly represented in his previous schemes. In order to investigate the role and relevance attributed to ethics and natural law in Locke’s various classifications, I will focus on each scheme separately; in the conclusion, attention will be drawn to another, later outline of Theologia which Locke composed in 1694, where ethics is once again one of the branches of theology but there is no longer any mention of natural law. Revelation, not natural law, appears to be the basis of ethics in this later scheme. https://ojs.lib.uwo.ca/index.php/locke/article/view/729John LockeEthicalex naturaeTheologialex civilisPolitia |
| spellingShingle | Giuliana Di Biase Theologia, Ethics, and Natural Law in Locke's Classifications of Knowledge and Adversaria Locke Studies John Locke Ethica lex naturae Theologia lex civilis Politia |
| title | Theologia, Ethics, and Natural Law in Locke's Classifications of Knowledge and Adversaria |
| title_full | Theologia, Ethics, and Natural Law in Locke's Classifications of Knowledge and Adversaria |
| title_fullStr | Theologia, Ethics, and Natural Law in Locke's Classifications of Knowledge and Adversaria |
| title_full_unstemmed | Theologia, Ethics, and Natural Law in Locke's Classifications of Knowledge and Adversaria |
| title_short | Theologia, Ethics, and Natural Law in Locke's Classifications of Knowledge and Adversaria |
| title_sort | theologia ethics and natural law in locke s classifications of knowledge and adversaria |
| topic | John Locke Ethica lex naturae Theologia lex civilis Politia |
| url | https://ojs.lib.uwo.ca/index.php/locke/article/view/729 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT giulianadibiase theologiaethicsandnaturallawinlockesclassificationsofknowledgeandadversaria |