The Problem of Common Empty Space in Theological and Philosophical Theories of the Early Modern Age

This thesis is devoted to the problem of the perception of space (water areas and lands) in theological and philosophical theories of the Early Modern Age. The research is built on the original Latin sources of the XVI-XVII centuries. The author addresses the issue of the status of space and its role in the philosophy of war of the theologian of Salamanca school Francisco de Vitoria and the Dutch lawyer Hugo Grotius. The diploma traces the connection between the authors and the continuity of Vitoria's views in the doctrine of "Mare Liberum" (the free sea) by Grotius. This paper notes that the epoch of transition from the late Renaissance to the New Age became a time of big geographical and philosophical changes, which led to a rethinking of the status of territories, which may be interesting in many areas of philosophical knowledge. It is supposed that determining the status of a space as “common” or “empty” played a key role in the philosophy of war and the philosophy of natural law, and determined the ideological direction in just war theory. While Vitoria, analyzing the phenomenon of Spanish Conquest of New World, determined space as “common,” Grotius took a new step towards the legal realization of the theory of space and determined sea areas as “free” zones of international interaction. Thus, the conceptualization of lands and water areas as a property or free/common zone is considered in its deep connection with the just war theory of Modern Age. Key words: space status, Francisco de Vitoria, Hugo Grotius, philosophy of war, natural law, law of nations, early Modern Age, just war theory.