Hugur - 01.06.2009, Síða 113

Manndómur
111
Abstract
Jón Eiríksson’sTeaching on Natural Law
Jón Eiríksson (1728-1787) is considered to be one of the key figures of the Enlight-
enment in Iceland, despite a long and distinguished carrier in Copenhagen.
Eiríksson taught law for several years and today some of his lecture notes on
natural law survive in manuscripts. This essay contemplates the ethical delibera-
tions one finds in these manuscripts. It argues against attempts to marginalise
early-modern theories on natural law and challenges the reader to revisit the vast
literature of the most significant authors on protestant moral principles, such as
Grotius, Leibniz, Pufendorf, Thomasius and Wolíf, and the conflicting observa-
tions of their doctrines. Drawing on that perspective, the essay advocates a more
thorough analysis of Eiríksson’s writings, highfighting the potential significance
for contemporary moral and political discussions. Lastly, with reference to the
above-mentioned tug between the protestant schools, this essay cannot but con-
jecture whether the incompatible philosophical views contributed to Eiríksson’s
tormented personality and may thus point to an important focus in all serious
biographical endeavour on him.
á hugsun áhrifavalda. Ýmis vandamál fylgja gjarnan því að takast fræðilega á við slík verk.
Oft hafa áhrifavaldarnir aðeins verið „tískuheimspekingar“ á sinni tíð og tilheyra í raun ekki
viðtekinni heimspekisögu. Þess vegna geta rannsóknir á þessum verkum reynst harla snúnar.
Enda þótt fjöldi rita sé til um vestræna heimspekisögu frá þeim tíma þegar Islendingar
fóru að fást við heimspeki hlaupa þau gjarnan yfir þá heimspekinga sem voru lengi lesnir á
jaðarsvæðum eftir að hafa náð hylli í helstu löndum Evrópu um stund.