Philosophy

On the basis of a solid solution to the problem of truth, he moves on to a profound study of man, who is both the subject and the object of philosophical enquiries. Ethics, as the highest concern of man, comes next, and Rosmini provides the foundation of the principles of Ethics in the supreme principle of his philosophy, the idea of being. His four volumes on Psychology deal with the spiritual side of man, the human soul, its essence, development, laws, and the opinions about the human soul and the way to distinguish those which are true from those which are false or mistaken. There follows the study of collections of individuals in Societies, the origin of Society, the principles underlining both the formation and development of Societies and their downfall, and the way human Societies should be ruled by politicians, and by the Constitutions, written in accordance with natural, intelligent laws based on the respect of the individuals who are “subsistent right”. Rosmini dedicated 6 volumes to the study of Right, starting with its essence and presenting the basis for the rights of the individual, of society, of the Church, of the family, and of Civil Society. His outstanding work is also his concluding one, the six volumes on Theosophy, which are dedicated to a most profound investigation on being, in its three modes – ideal, real, and moral. We can place his sublime work on Theodicy midway between purely philosophical issues and his theology. Theodicy answers questions about God’s management of the Universe, the problem of evil in particular, but also the apparent contradictions in the attributes of God. Whereas, Rosmini’s views on Theodicy are similar to those of St. Augustine, St. Thomas, or Leibniz, nonetheless, his final greater section on the laws according to which God operates as an infinitely intelligent and perfect being are unique to him.