Bossuet - Artist, Intellectual and Man of Politics

Jacques Bénigne Bossuet (1627-1704) provides the historical context of philosophers like Descartes who appear to be timeless. He exposed the political philosophy, the epistemology, the philosophy of history and the theology of his time against the prejudice that thinkers have to be solipsistic. Bossuet reconciled rationality and Biblical authority when the Enlightenment threatened to divorce them. This is true for his political philosophy and for his philosophical psychology. Knowing worldly power helps fathom the divine order, and knowing the human intellect fosters philosophical piety towards God.

Paul Richard Blum is T.J. Higgins, S.J., Chair in Philosophy at Loyola University Maryland in Baltimore, USA. He studied philosophy in Germany and Italy and taught in Germany, Hungary, and the Czech Republic. Besides Renaissance philosophy he specializes in early modern scholasticism.

Hans-Christian Günther is professor for classics at the Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg. He has widely published on Greek and Roman philosophy and literature, Byzantine and modern Greek studies. Recently he has been more and more interested in intercultural studies, ethics and international politics.