Introduction

This book provides a comprehensive and contextualised presentation of the early roots of moral psychology by considering the rich and varied debates on the topic which began in classical antiquity, progressed through medieval Latin and Arabic thought, and continued into the Renaissance and Reformation periods up to the seventeenth century. This broad diachronic perspective enables us not only to track both general and specific ideas over a longer period, but also to show that our present understanding of many moral psychological themes is, in fact, the product of philosophical thinking many centuries old. Such themes as happiness and wellbeing, emotions and freedom of the will, which are subject to intense debate still today, were discussed in depth already in ancient, medieval Latin and Arabic as well as in early modern philosophy under the title of “science of the soul” (scientia de anima). Recognizing and understanding this history will also enable a more in-depth discussions and stimulate further historical scholarship on the topics.