Machiavellianism by Michael Aquino

In this episode, we explore Machiavellianism—the political philosophy of Niccolo Machiavelli, the Renaissance thinker whose name became synonymous with the Devil himself. Machiavelli is one of the most controversial figures in the history of philosophy. He is the man who said the ends justify the means. He is the man who separated politics from religion. He is the man who gave us a realistic view of power.From the first political scientist to the separation of politics and religion, from the beast and the man to the breaking down of religious authority—we examine the system that challenged the medieval worldview. And we ask: Was Machiavelli a champion of the good, or an advocate of evil?📜 Topics Covered:The Renaissance: Secular education, Classical revival, and artistic geniusMachiavelli's Reputation: Why "Old Nick" became the DevilThe Separation of Politics and Religion: Politics belongs to the world of reasonWilliam of Occam: Faith as pure belief, not reasonFortuna and Virtu: Chance and will in historyThe First Political Scientist: Studying the beginnings of statesForce and Law: The beast and the manThe Ends Justify the Means: Pragmatism and the common goodRealism and Human Dignity: Taking responsibility for yourselfThe First Natural Philosopher of Politics: Basing philosophy on mankind aloneIs Machiavelli a Political Scientist? The problem of selective evidenceThe Breaking Down of Religion: Ignoring as a threatThe Nature of Machiavelli's Philosophy: Pragmatism, not maliceThe Legacy of Machiavelli: How his ideas shaped modern politicsMachiavelli and the Temple of Set: Ancestor or cautionary tale?🎧 ABOUT THE RUBY TABLET The Ruby Tablet Podcast is a philosophical and spiritual journey through the essays of the Temple of Set, exploring the great traditions of human thought—from ancient Egypt to the present day. Each episode is a deep dive into the ideas that help shape the Self and fan the Black Flame.🔮 In Our Next Episode:We turn to the Reformation—how did the religious revolution of the 16th century challenge the authority of the Catholic Church? How did Martin Luther and John Calvin create a new vision of Christianity? And how did the Reformation shape the modern world? The story continues.🔗 Sources & Reading List:Essay #9: Machiavellianism (Aquino VI°, V2 - 102 - 9) Reading List: 16A, 23E, 23F📚 Recommended Reading:Niccolo Machiavelli, The Prince (trans. Harvey Mansfield)Niccolo Machiavelli, The Discourses on Livy (trans. Harvey Mansfield)Niccolo Machiavelli, The Art of War (trans. Christopher Lynch)Quentin Skinner, Machiavelli: A Very Short IntroductionIsaiah Berlin, "The Originality of Machiavelli" (essay)Sebastian de Grazia, Machiavelli in HellJohn M. Najemy, Between Friends: Discourses of Power and Desire in the Machiavelli-Vettori LettersJ.G.A. Pocock, The Machiavellian MomentDrop your thoughts in the comments below. Are we all Machiavellians now?#Machiavelli #Machiavellianism #ThePrince #Renaissance #PoliticalPhilosophy #PoliticalScience #Realism #Pragmatism #EndsJustifyTheMeans #Fortuna #Virtu #OccamsRazor #SeparationOfChurchAndState #Secularism #Humanism #Medici #Florence #TempleOfSet #LeftHandPath #TheRubyTablet #RenaissancePhilosophy #PoliticalTheory #Realpolitik #PhilosophyPodcast