Metis and violence in Machiavellian political theory

Authors

  • Regina Maria da Cruz Queiroz Instituto de Filosofia da Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas da Universidade Nova de Lisboa

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14195/1984-249X_21_7

Keywords:

Cunning rationality, Hubris of violence, Metis, Political power, Prudence

Abstract

The quest for winning and preserving political power in Machiavelli’s The Prince is led by the bellicose version of the pre-classical and mythological concept of metis or cunning rationality. In opposition to a domestic version of cunning rationality, understood as the rationality of the weak, Machiavellian metis is a prudential and deceptive rationality of the strong. Bellicose cunning rationality does not, however, prevent the prince from falling into the hubris of violence, and does not avoid undermining cunning rationality itself. Our article evaluates and circumscribes the contribution, as well as the theoretical and practical limits of the Machiavellian bellicose cunning rationality.

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Author Biography

Regina Maria da Cruz Queiroz, Instituto de Filosofia da Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas da Universidade Nova de Lisboa

Doutorada em Filosofia Política e Social pela Universidade de Lisboa e investigadora do Instituto de Filosofia da Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas da Universidade Nova de Lisboa.

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Published

2017-09-01

How to Cite

Queiroz, R. M. da C. (2017). Metis and violence in Machiavellian political theory. Revista Archai, (21), 223. https://doi.org/10.14195/1984-249X_21_7