John Caruana
Encyclopedia
John Caruana was a Maltese lawyer
and minor philosopher. He was mostly interested in the philosophy of law and in political economy
. No portrait of him has been identified as yet.
, Malta
, in 1923. He was the son of a very influential man, Prof. Annetto Caruana, who was an archeologist, librarian
, Director of Education, and Rector of the University of Malta
.
Caruana studied law at the University of Malta
, and continued his studies in England
and in Italy
. He became professor of political economy
at the University of Malta
in 1889, and later Professor of Constitutional Law. In 1895 he was also appointed Professor of Civil Law
. His teaching career spanned over thirty years. He retired in 1921.
Intellectually, liberalism
was what seemed to peoccupy Caruana most. He considered liberal philosophy to be some sort of ‘mental corruption’ which only made people miserable and disturbed.
in 1889 (Tipografia Industriale di Giov. Muscat, Salita Guardanmangia, Pietà). The title is augmented with the qualification sulla Scienza e le Discipline Economico-sociali e della loro presente direzione (on Science and the Economic-Social Disciplines, and their present direction).
The publication reproduces a talk which Caruana delivered at the opening of the academic year 1889/90 of the University of Malta
and the Lyceum. The talk was made on October 1, 1889, at the National Library of Malta
, Valletta
.
Caruana’s talk is an outright attack on liberalism
. The writing has no divisions, and continuously cites Aristotle
and various political economists. Cicero
is cited too. Caruana exemplifies his arguments by drawing upon the situation in England
. He explains how there liberalism
was arresting the development of science, the economy, and the social studies. Caruana exults England
as the bulwark of civilisation, and castigates liberalism
for failing to keep England
’s scientific, economic and social pre-eminence on an upward and forward trajectory.
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and minor philosopher. He was mostly interested in the philosophy of law and in political economy
Political economy
Political economy originally was the term for studying production, buying, and selling, and their relations with law, custom, and government, as well as with the distribution of national income and wealth, including through the budget process. Political economy originated in moral philosophy...
. No portrait of him has been identified as yet.
Life
Caruana was born at VallettaValletta
Valletta is the capital of Malta, colloquially known as Il-Belt in Maltese. It is located in the central-eastern portion of the island of Malta, and the historical city has a population of 6,098. The name "Valletta" is traditionally reserved for the historic walled citadel that serves as Malta's...
, Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
, in 1923. He was the son of a very influential man, Prof. Annetto Caruana, who was an archeologist, librarian
Librarian
A librarian is an information professional trained in library and information science, which is the organization and management of information services or materials for those with information needs...
, Director of Education, and Rector of the University of Malta
University of Malta
The University of Malta is the highest educational institution in Malta Europe and is one of the most respected universities in Europe. The University offers undergraduate Bachelor's Degrees, postgraduate Master's Degrees and postgraduate Doctorates .-History:The University of Malta was founded in...
.
Caruana studied law at the University of Malta
University of Malta
The University of Malta is the highest educational institution in Malta Europe and is one of the most respected universities in Europe. The University offers undergraduate Bachelor's Degrees, postgraduate Master's Degrees and postgraduate Doctorates .-History:The University of Malta was founded in...
, and continued his studies in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. He became professor of political economy
Political economy
Political economy originally was the term for studying production, buying, and selling, and their relations with law, custom, and government, as well as with the distribution of national income and wealth, including through the budget process. Political economy originated in moral philosophy...
at the University of Malta
University of Malta
The University of Malta is the highest educational institution in Malta Europe and is one of the most respected universities in Europe. The University offers undergraduate Bachelor's Degrees, postgraduate Master's Degrees and postgraduate Doctorates .-History:The University of Malta was founded in...
in 1889, and later Professor of Constitutional Law. In 1895 he was also appointed Professor of Civil Law
Civil law (common law)
Civil law, as opposed to criminal law, is the branch of law dealing with disputes between individuals or organizations, in which compensation may be awarded to the victim...
. His teaching career spanned over thirty years. He retired in 1921.
Intellectually, liberalism
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
was what seemed to peoccupy Caruana most. He considered liberal philosophy to be some sort of ‘mental corruption’ which only made people miserable and disturbed.
Works
Amongst Caruana’s various works, one is noteworthy for its philosophy value. It is Dell’Influsso della Filosofia Moderna (On the Influence of Modern Philosophy). This 28-page booklet in Italian was published in MaltaMalta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
in 1889 (Tipografia Industriale di Giov. Muscat, Salita Guardanmangia, Pietà). The title is augmented with the qualification sulla Scienza e le Discipline Economico-sociali e della loro presente direzione (on Science and the Economic-Social Disciplines, and their present direction).
The publication reproduces a talk which Caruana delivered at the opening of the academic year 1889/90 of the University of Malta
University of Malta
The University of Malta is the highest educational institution in Malta Europe and is one of the most respected universities in Europe. The University offers undergraduate Bachelor's Degrees, postgraduate Master's Degrees and postgraduate Doctorates .-History:The University of Malta was founded in...
and the Lyceum. The talk was made on October 1, 1889, at the National Library of Malta
National Library of Malta
The National Library of Malta began in 1555. It is currently the legal deposit and copyright for Malta. Its collection spans the personal libraries of the Knights of Malta , including archives from the medieval Università dei Giurati of Mdina and Valletta.-Early history:The idea of a public Library...
, Valletta
Valletta
Valletta is the capital of Malta, colloquially known as Il-Belt in Maltese. It is located in the central-eastern portion of the island of Malta, and the historical city has a population of 6,098. The name "Valletta" is traditionally reserved for the historic walled citadel that serves as Malta's...
.
Caruana’s talk is an outright attack on liberalism
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
. The writing has no divisions, and continuously cites Aristotle
Aristotle
Aristotle was a Greek philosopher and polymath, a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. His writings cover many subjects, including physics, metaphysics, poetry, theater, music, logic, rhetoric, linguistics, politics, government, ethics, biology, and zoology...
and various political economists. Cicero
Cicero
Marcus Tullius Cicero , was a Roman philosopher, statesman, lawyer, political theorist, and Roman constitutionalist. He came from a wealthy municipal family of the equestrian order, and is widely considered one of Rome's greatest orators and prose stylists.He introduced the Romans to the chief...
is cited too. Caruana exemplifies his arguments by drawing upon the situation in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He explains how there liberalism
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
was arresting the development of science, the economy, and the social studies. Caruana exults England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
as the bulwark of civilisation, and castigates liberalism
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
for failing to keep England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
’s scientific, economic and social pre-eminence on an upward and forward trajectory.
Sources
- Mark Montebello, Il-Ktieb tal-Filosofija f’Malta (A Source Book of Philosophy in Malta), PIN Publications, Malta, 2001.