Marsilius of Padua: The Defender of Peace, Vol. I: Marsilius of Padua and Medieval Political Philosophy by Alan Gewirth (review)

70 Book Reviews This is incorrect; the dependence in question pertains to the psychological order, not to the moral order. Of course, if the intellect sees that a means is necessary to the end, the will is morally bound, not by the intellect but by natural law, to posit such a means. The will is morally bound by the intellect, by the intellect of a lawgiver, when a new positive law, which for St. Thomas is essentially an act of the intellect, is created. The bibliography of the secondary sources is unsatisfactory. For the life and works of Scotus, for instance, the reader is referred to M. Fernández García and B. Landry; E. Longpré, A. Callebaut, C. Balió, etc., are not even mentioned. F e l ix A l l u n t is , O .F.M . The Catholic University of America Washington, D. C. Marsilius of Padua: The Defender of Peace, Vol. I : Marsilius of Padua and Medieval Political Philosophy. B y Alan Gewirth (Number X LVI of the Records of Civilization, Sources and Studies). (New York: Columbia University Press, 1951. Pp. xvi + 342.) Historical construction and oversimplification together with an uncritical acceptance of interpretations of difficult writings are spectres which rise to haunt many a student and teacher of both history and philosophy. In this book, the first of two volumes, Professor Gewirth has attempted an analysis of a very confused and confusing individualist, who we think is guilty of both historical construction and mis-interpretation to say nothing of ignorance on some points. Take a man whose all-consuming motivation, according to Professor Gewirth, is ‘‘opposition to the papal plenitude of power.” Let this man begin by characterizing his opponents absolutely as following “ a sophistic line of argument,” arising from a "sophistic cause,” using "equivocally sophistic language,” propounded by a "sophist and abuser of words,” professing “ sophistic piety,” and allied with “ sophistic and false teachers," yet setting himself up as being most certain and dogmatic in his own state­ ments. Allow this man to disregard completely final causes, to drop emphasis on ultimate normative values, to set up his own definitions of peace, nature, state, authority, law, government, justice and especially Church. Then permit him, with these tools, to discuss at length political problems and ecclesiastical doctrine. You will then have the enigma which is Marsilius of Padua. This is the man whom Professor Gewirth tries to analyze. For even attempting such a task, and for doing important research work, we all must be grateful to Professor Gewirth. His efforts will help to fill in a lacuna in the history of political theory. He gives us, moreover, an inter­ pretation of Marsilius in the English language, something we had hitherto lacked. For these reasons his efforts do make a valuable contribution. The book, however, is one which must be read with great care. One reason for this is the very nature of Marsilius’ endeavors. Starting with his admitted polemical purpose, Marsilius proceeded to discuss many things. On a number of these points we are convinced that Marsilius did not know whereof he spoke. His personal confusion then, couched in words to which he gave Ms own meaning, results in a most difficult treatise. Professor Gewirth in his analysis goes into deeply philosophical explanations in which the ordinary reader could easily be lost. In commenting on the position and system of Marsilius, as he sees it, Professor Gewirth draws many conclusions to which we take exception. Our reason, for taking such exception in most cases is due to the inadequate information and lack of understanding of the Church, her doctrine and organization, on the part of the author of the present volume. Despite these defects Professor Gewirth does clarify Marsilius’ place in the history of political thought. Especially does he show how resolutely Marsilius attempted to conceive the principles of society in completely secular terms, and to treat all government in terms of the fulfillment it gives to the socio-economic and secular needs of man. P e t e r D am ian H o l z e r , O.F.M. Saint Bonaventure, N. Y. Book Reviews 71 ...