Henning Arnisaeus (Arniseus) (1570–1636) was a German physician and moral philosopher. [1] He is now known for his writings on political theory.
He was born in Schlanstedt, a village in the present-day Harz district of Germany, near Huy. [2] He studied philosophy and medicine at the Protestant University of Helmstedt from 1589. [3] After travels in England and France, he became court physician to Christian IV of Denmark. [1]
At Helmstedt, Arnisaeus became a pupil of Cornelius Martini, a Lutheran metaphysician who also influenced Hermann Conring. [4] [5] He used an Aristotelian analysis to distinguish in political thought between the civitas and the res publica, in a critique of Jean Bodin, Johannes Althusius, Busius (Paulus Buis or Buys, died 1617), and Bartholomäus Keckermann. [6] He particularly criticized Bodin's strictures on mixed government in his 1606 Doctrina politica. [7] That work also incorporated Tacitean ideas, under the influence of Arnold Clapmar, within the Aristotelian and humanist framework he proposed, attacking the Ramist critics of Aristotle. [8]
While Arnisaeus saw a role for civil society, he did not admit any qualification of the power of the 'magistrate'. In 1610 in De jure majestatis he took Bodin's part against the mixed state; even so, in relation to Holy Roman Empire and its institutions he admitted that sovereignty could in practical terms be distributed among several authorities. [9] He is therefore classed as an 'absolutist', a supporter of absolute monarchy. [10] Theoretically, in the case of the Empire, he argued that sovereignty lay with the Prince-electors. [11] This was very much a minority view among Germans, opposed by Althusius and Keckermann, as well as Hermann Kirchner, Daniel Otto, and Tobias Paurmeister, all of whom took the view that the Emperor was a true monarch. [12]
Against Althusius, he argued that (true) monarchy could be compromised by concessions of power that distorted the 'form' of the state, and that this was a more accurate description of the actual French state. [13]
Arnisaeus died in Copenhagen.
His ideas were influential in the setting up of Danish absolutism. [14]
Henning Arnisaeus (Arniseus) (1570–1636) was a German physician and moral philosopher. [1] He is now known for his writings on political theory.
He was born in Schlanstedt, a village in the present-day Harz district of Germany, near Huy. [2] He studied philosophy and medicine at the Protestant University of Helmstedt from 1589. [3] After travels in England and France, he became court physician to Christian IV of Denmark. [1]
At Helmstedt, Arnisaeus became a pupil of Cornelius Martini, a Lutheran metaphysician who also influenced Hermann Conring. [4] [5] He used an Aristotelian analysis to distinguish in political thought between the civitas and the res publica, in a critique of Jean Bodin, Johannes Althusius, Busius (Paulus Buis or Buys, died 1617), and Bartholomäus Keckermann. [6] He particularly criticized Bodin's strictures on mixed government in his 1606 Doctrina politica. [7] That work also incorporated Tacitean ideas, under the influence of Arnold Clapmar, within the Aristotelian and humanist framework he proposed, attacking the Ramist critics of Aristotle. [8]
While Arnisaeus saw a role for civil society, he did not admit any qualification of the power of the 'magistrate'. In 1610 in De jure majestatis he took Bodin's part against the mixed state; even so, in relation to Holy Roman Empire and its institutions he admitted that sovereignty could in practical terms be distributed among several authorities. [9] He is therefore classed as an 'absolutist', a supporter of absolute monarchy. [10] Theoretically, in the case of the Empire, he argued that sovereignty lay with the Prince-electors. [11] This was very much a minority view among Germans, opposed by Althusius and Keckermann, as well as Hermann Kirchner, Daniel Otto, and Tobias Paurmeister, all of whom took the view that the Emperor was a true monarch. [12]
Against Althusius, he argued that (true) monarchy could be compromised by concessions of power that distorted the 'form' of the state, and that this was a more accurate description of the actual French state. [13]
Arnisaeus died in Copenhagen.
His ideas were influential in the setting up of Danish absolutism. [14]