St. Augustine of Hippo's Philosophy (E.)

St. Augustine of Hippo's Philosophy

1. St. Augustine's Philosophy (Epistemology and Ethics)

2. St. Augustine of Hippo (354–430 CE) Augustine was born in Thagaste (modern-day Algeria) in 354 CE Joining the Manichaean religion, a dualistic faith emphasizing the cosmic struggle between good and evil. Conversion to Christianity - His intellectual and spiritual journey led him to Christianity, influenced by the preaching of Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, and the writings of Paul. In 387 CE, Augustine was baptized by Ambrose. Early Life and Conversion

3. St. Augustine of Hippo (354–430 CE) Major Works Confessions (c. 400 CE) It is a reflection on the nature of God, time, memory, and human will. Key Themes: Original sin, divine grace, the human condition, and the search for truth. Augustine. Confessions . Translated by Henry Chadwick, Oxford University Press, 1991.

4. St. Augustine of Hippo (354–430 CE) Major Works The City of God (413–426 CE) addresses the relationship between Christianity and politics Key Themes: Human history as a struggle between good and evil, the role of the church and state, and the providence of God. Augustine. The City of God . Translated by Henry Bettenson , Penguin Classics, 2004.

5. St. Augustine of Hippo (354–430 CE) Major Works On Christian Doctrine (De Doctrina Christiana, c. 397–426 CE) emphasizes the importance of love in scriptural interpretation and discusses rhetoric and its place in Christian teaching. Key Themes: Hermeneutics, Christian teaching, the centrality of love in theology. Augustine. On Christian Doctrine . Translated by D. W. Robertson Jr., Prentice Hall, 1958.

6. St. Augustine of Hippo (354–430 CE) Major Works On the Trinity (De Trinitate , c. 399–419 CE) striving to explain the mystery of the three persons (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) in one God. Key Themes: The mystery of the Trinity, relationship between the human soul and God, philosophical theology. Augustine. On the Trinity . Translated by Edmund Hill, New City Press, 1991.

7. St. Augustine's Theory of Knowledge

8. “… certainty was impossible to achieve and that human beings should suspend judgment on all matters, aiming only for probable knowledge… ”

9. "Si fallor , sum" (If I am mistaken, I exist) Augustine shows that doubt itself requires the existence of a mind or self that is capable of doubting, which is an undeniable truth. Therefore, complete skepticism about everything is untenable because the skeptic cannot doubt their own existence.

10. The Existence of Truth (Eternal, immutable truths) Truths that do not change and are universally recognized (like the laws of logic). Do not depend on the external world or sensory experience.

11. Refutation of Total Skepticism (Probable and Moral Knowledge) Probable Knowledge AS = we can have reasonable beliefs but not absolute certainty Augustine = acknowledging the possibility of distinguishing between more probable and less probable truths Moral Knowledge argues that humans have an innate sense of moral good and evil - a reflection of eternal truths implanted by God in the human soul.

12. Faith and Knowledge (faith bridges the gap between human ignorance and divine truth) “… believe that you may understand, understand that you may believe…” faith allows us to trust in divine truths that are revealed through Scripture and the teachings of the Church.

13. Certainty through Inner Experience (inner experience as a source of certainty) inner awareness is not subject to doubt because it is directly accessible to the individual memory, as an inward faculty, holds truths that cannot be doubted.

14. St. Augustine’s Divine Illumination

15. The Need for Divine Illumination (inner experience as a source of certainty) human reason, while important, is not sufficient by itself to grasp higher, eternal truths. memory, as an inward faculty, holds truths that cannot be doubted.

16. Truth Exists in God (God is the ultimate source of all truths) All eternal truths exist in the mind of God Divine illumination makes it possible for the human mind to recognize and understand these eternal truths.

17. Divine Illumination and the Inner Teacher (true knowledge is not acquired from external sources but from an inner teacher) human instruction is valuable, it is limited Real understanding comes when God enlightens the human soul from within.

18. Augustine vs. Other Views of Knowledge Augustine vs. Platonic Epistemology Plato = the human mind comes to know the eternal forms through recollection (or anamnesis) Augustine = knowledge is not the result of remembering past experiences but rather the result of God actively illuminating the mind in the present.

19. Augustine vs. Other Views of Knowledge Augustine vs. Aristotelian Empiricism Aristotle = placed great emphasis on the role of sense perception and experience in the acquisition of knowledge Augustine = sensory knowledge is limited and often deceptive because it is tied to the changing, material world.

20. St. Augustine’s Ethics

21. The Ultimate Good: God as the Highest Good (all human beings seek happiness, but true happiness can only be found in God) only God, who is infinite and perfect, can provide the eternal happiness that human beings deeply desire. orienting one's life toward God and not being overly attached to temporal goods.

22. The Role of Love (Ordo Amoris) (ethical living is about rightly ordering our loves and desires) God above all, others as ourselves, and material things as means to an end rather than ends in themselves. Ordered Love

23. Free Will and Moral Responsibility (free will as central to ethical behavior) True freedom is not the ability to sin but the ability to live in accordance with God’s will. while humans have free will, they are also in need of divine grace to overcome their sinful inclinations and act virtuously.

24. Free Will and Moral Responsibility (free will as central to ethical behavior) True freedom is not the ability to sin but the ability to live in accordance with God’s will. while humans have free will, they are also in need of divine grace to overcome their sinful inclinations and act virtuously.