Economics Dictionary of ArgumentsHome
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| Augustine: Augustine (354 - 430) was an early Christian theologian and philosopher in the Roman Empire. _____________Annotation: The above characterizations of concepts are neither definitions nor exhausting presentations of problems related to them. Instead, they are intended to give a short introduction to the contributions below. – Lexicon of Arguments. | |||
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Otfried Höffe on Augustine - Dictionary of Arguments
Höffe I 96 Augustine/Höffe: In Augustine's intellectual development the transition from the pagan philosophy of antiquity, with him: the Stoa, even more so of New Platonism, to the Christian Middle Ages takes place. His work literally shapes the spirit of a new epoch. Probably a Berber by origin, his literary and intellectual development, like that of other North African Fathers of the Church, such as Tertullian (150-um 225) and Cyprian (200-258), lives entirely from Latin culture. Höffe I 97 In (...) the year 373, "seduced" by the "cunning and flattering eloquence" of Bishop Faustus, he joined the Manicheans for almost a decade. In Milan, Augustine heard the learned sermons of Ambrose (340-397), a bishop and ecclesiastical teacher born in Trier, which brought Christianity closer to him again, but did not free him from a Manichaean inclination towards dualistic thinking. >Manichaeism/Höffe. Conversion experience: In August 386 the now 32-year-old has a dramatic experience. Following his confessions (VIII, 12), Augustine takes up the repeated request of a voice: "Take and read" according to the book that is ready and opens a passage from the Epistle to the Romans: "Not in feasting and drunkenness, not in bedchambers and fornication, not in strife and envy; but go to the Lord Jesus Christ."(1) Höfe I 98 Works: In addition to the two dialogues De beata vita (On the happy life, 386) and De ordine (On the order, 386), five other texts are particularly important: the three books De libero arbitrio (On Free Will, Book I 388, Books II and III 391-395), the Confessiones (Confessions, 396-400), the systematic main work De trinitate (On the Trinity, c. 400-425), for political thinking trend-setting De civitate dei (On the State of God, c. 412-426), finally a comprehensive critical commentary on the own complete work, the Retractationes (426). Assessment/Höffe: In his "baptized" New Platonism, reformed from the spirit of Christianity, the pre-Christian, "pagan" knowledge loses all inherent value. Only what serves the Christian culture may remain. Höffe I 99 Enlightenment/Illumination: One of Augustine's highly influential thoughts is the doctrine of illumination, the doctrine of divine enlightenment (illuminatio), without which the human mind cannot recognize anything. This includes the view that, in contrast to ancient Eudaimonism, the guarantor of lasting happiness is not man himself and his polis, but rather only God. VsEudaemonism: In contrast to the Hellenistic, "pagan" philosophers the perfect happiness and highest good (...) is determined religiously, as the eternal peace in God(2). This is where the Christian revolution comes to light: the inherent right of the world, the intrinsic value of worldly goods, is abolished; (...). Höffe I 100 Secular life/state: In relation to the personal salvation that is ultimately to be expected in the hereafter (...) the concern for just political institutions of the world of this world appears to be clearly secondary, as if it were extremely subordinate. Even more: Under Augustinian premises a pragmatic-realistic political thinking is as good as impossible. Höffe I 117 Aftermath: (...) [Augustine] influenced in modern times and in Höffe I 118 the present humanists such as Erasmus of Rotterdem (1469-1536). (...) Luther was particularly influenced by his Pauline exegesis and the theology of grace. In the 17th century the doctrine of grace played a role in Jansenism (according to the Dutch theologian Cornelius Jansen: 1585-1638), whose French centre, the monastery of Port-Royal, was close to Blaise Pascal (1623-1662). Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) (...) adopted Augustine's literary pattern for his autobiography, the Confessions. Karl Jaspers appreciates Augustinus as the only "founder of philosophising between Plato and Kant". Cf. VsAugustine: >Augustine/Voltaire. 1. Paul, Letter to the Romans 13:13 f 2. Augustinus, De civitate dei, On the State of God, Book XIX, e.g. Chapter 27_____________Explanation of symbols: Roman numerals indicate the source, arabic numerals indicate the page number. The corresponding books are indicated on the right hand side. ((s)…): Comment by the sender of the contribution. Translations: Dictionary of Arguments The note [Concept/Author], [Author1]Vs[Author2] or [Author]Vs[term] resp. "problem:"/"solution:", "old:"/"new:" and "thesis:" is an addition from the Dictionary of Arguments. If a German edition is specified, the page numbers refer to this edition. |
Höffe I Otfried Höffe Geschichte des politischen Denkens München 2016 |
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