Machiavelli: The Founder of Modernity

[DanielS]

Machiavelli, the founder of modernity - his philosophy deviates from the Aristotlean biological telos and Platonic ideal telos; instead advising action to be based on the effectual truth.

That is, he is prescribing that the political actor base his actions on what "is" as opposed to "oughtness" and what is necessary as opposed to principles of good and bad.

He is prescribing practical force over prefigurative force.