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THE STRUCTURE OF SOCIETY ACCORDING TO DUNS SCOTUS (Continued) Specific Groups in Social Life Besides diese ideas on die origin and nature of political autiiority,* Scotus discusses the problems confronting die ruler of a community, , and also die otiier social groups in society, the family, and die community of nations. /. Ruler of The Community Scotus now discusses die qualities diat are demanded of a ruler, the powers he is given, and the duties tiiat are assigned to him. Most of the time he is simply called die princeps by Scotus. Otiier names appearing are rector,1 legislator,2 and praesidens.3 Rex is used, but less frequently.4 In applying what he says about rulers, die medieval background must be kept in mind. The structure of society was different then; the status of die laborer was one of practical serfdom; die medium of exchange was beginning to be money, although the real basis of economic life was still the land. People took a different attitude toward suffering and the use of force. The European world was not considered an aggregate of nations, but as Christendom, as an orbis Christianus. There was but one society witii two rulers, one over the spiritual and die other over die temporal. Scotus has no separate treatise on the functions of public authority or the duties of rulers. Rather he treats of diese duties as the occasion presents itself. Thus these duties are stated in the tract on justice, on the function of money, trade, property, and religion. Hence much more research has to be done in tiiis field. A few of the main ideas expressed by Scotus on tiiis subject will be brought out here. 1. Qualities of a Ruler. First of all, he requires of a ruler, prudence and autiiority. The latter has already been discussed. Prudence the ruler needs "that he may judge according to right and practical reason what is to be done for the community."5 Prudence, however, has a very special meaning for Scotus; it is not the Thomistic notion. For Thomas it is die recta ratio agibilium.6 For Scotus, it is a virtue inclining the practical intellect to determine and recommend to the will, particular 1.Rep. Par., IV, d. 36, q. 2, n. 6, (XXIV, 459a). 2.Opus Oxon., IX, d. 16, q. 1, n. 11, (XX, 427). 3.Opus Oxon., Ill, d. 34, q. 1, n. 17, (XIV, 522). 4.Opus Oxon., IV, d. 3, q. 4, n. 19, (XVI, 370). 5.Opus Oxon.. IV, d. 15, q. 2, n. 6, (XVIII, 265). 6.Summa Theol., IL q. 47, a. 3. 71 72SOCIETY ACCORDING TO SCOTUS means and proximate ends.7 He explains die development of prudence as follows: die will elects die end; it tiien commands die intellect to discover means and more proximate ends for attaining this end.8 This definition allows prudence to determine more proximate ends. In tins Scotus disagrees widi St. Thomas. For die former it is not merely a matter of judging righdy, but of choosing in conformity. St. Thomas, following Aristotle closely, did not stress die role of die will in prudence ; hence die close connection between knowledge and conduct. Scotus has a clearer notion of voluntary action by bringing morality into a closer harmony of the will with reason, rather than of a direct governing of die passions by die intellect. The implication for die ruler here is (although Scotus did not apply it in tiiis context) diat it is not enough to know what is die right tiling to do. He must choose in conformity widi right reason and select die means and more proximate ends for attaining these ends. It is a more active and practical prudence tiiat Scotus demands of a ruler. The true Christian ruler will realize that it is not sufficient merely to know die dictates of right reason, or of justice and charity, but it will be necessary to choose in conformity with tiiem. Scotus also speaks of a distinct type of justice which belongs to die role of one in autiiority. It is thus a sort of political justice. He is not sure just what name to give it, but...

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