St. Augustine’s Philosophy: Faith, Reason, and the Search for Truth
St. Augustine’s Philosophy
Historical Context
After Alexander the Great’s death, Cynicism’s decline led to the rise of Stoicism and Epicureanism. This shift changed the understanding of human beings from zoon politikon (social animal of the city) to individuals seeking security and happiness within themselves. Consequently, moral schools like Stoicism and Epicureanism emerged to provide meaning and purpose in life.
Stoicism, divided into passive (following nature) and active (universal reason/logos), was deterministic. It emphasized virtue and tranquility through reason. Epicureanism focused on pleasure, distinguishing between natural and necessary, natural but unnecessary, and unnatural and unnecessary pleasures. It aimed to combat fears of death, gods, and destiny.
Neoplatonism, with Plotinus as a key figure, influenced Augustine. Plotinus’ doctrine defined the One through negative theology. From the One emanates intelligence (nous), then the soul, and finally the material world. The soul strives to return to the One.
Theology
Augustine maintained the division between the idealistic and sensible worlds. The sensible world reflects God, and creation participates in God’s being. He defended monotheism, emphasizing the oneness and goodness of God.
San Agustin: Faith and Reason
Augustine believed faith and reason uncover truth, inseparable in Christianity. Two factors shaped his philosophy: Christianity’s engagement with philosophy and the nature of Neoplatonic thought. Christianity presented itself as a system of doctrines, while Neoplatonism emphasized the intellect’s ability to know divine reality.
Anthropological Roots
Augustinian thought begins with internalization—the soul’s turning inward. This introspection is the starting point for the search for truth. Influenced by Neoplatonism, Augustine, like Plato, recognized immutable ideas, placing them in a logical and metaphysical order. This order encompasses mathematical, aesthetic, and ethical dimensions.
The State and History
Augustine’s concept of history rests on his theory of two cities: the earthly and the celestial. This theory has led to interpretations emphasizing the Church’s primacy over the State and minimizing the State’s role.
Medieval Augustinianism
Key themes include the collaboration between faith and reason, the Platonic soul, the primacy of will over intellect, the theory of illumination, the copies of ideas, and hylomorphism (except for God).
Key Terms
- Internalization: The process of reflection by which the soul turns to itself instead of focusing on the outside world.
- Autotranscendence: The process by which the soul, after turning inward, feels compelled to rise above itself, moving from the mutable to the immutable.