Augustine meanings: Knowledge and truth.

Historical Theology: Augustine Saxton

Week Two Writing Prompt:

Epistemology. Select two quotations where Augustine addresses the topics of knowledge and/or truth.

I was attracted to these two Augustine quotations because in both Augustine relate the knowledge and truth with God. Although Augustine is fighting with the concept of knowledge in an era when the Greek philosophy talked about only is possible to know the material and visible things. Augustine had an open mind to lead with the philosophy and the theology, and that helped him to create a new perspective about God and the knowledge related with God.

1.-  20.43 Plotinus, Platonism, and the authority of Christ. “No one doubts that we are driven towards knowledge by a twofold force: the force of authority and the force of reason. I am therefore, resolved never ever to deviate from the authority of Christ, for I find none more powerful. But as to what the most subtle reasoning can pursue- for I am so stirred up that yearn impatiently to apprehend what the truth is, not only by believing but also by understanding- I am confident at the moment that what I will find among the Platonists will not be opposed to our sacred mysteries”. (p.53, Harmless)

2.- 7.14 The art of Soliloquy. “Since, on the one hand, truth cannot be better pursued than by question-and-answer and since, on the other hand, hardly anyone can be found who is not ashamed to be defeated in argument, with the result that it almost always happens that a subject for discussion which is well begun is driven out of mind by the unruly noise of self-opinion, accompanied also by wounded feelings which are usually concealed but at times evident- for these reasons, it was my pleasure to seek the truth with God’s help in peace and propriety by questioning and answering myself”. (p. 57, Harmless)

What does he mean by these concepts?

1. Augustine had been influenced for the Greek philosophy because had read any Platonist books, but he showed strong Christian roots. Augustine thought we could get knowledge trough 2 different ways, forms or perspectives: the first one is trough the force of authority. Here, he is talking about the authority of Christ and he said that authority “I find none more powerful”. The second is trough the force of reason. That is for those want to know the truth, not only as a believing or creed, but also as understanding. Also, Augustine believed that he could get that knowledge in the Platonists and it was not opposed to their religious knowledge.     

2. In few words, Augustine believed that he could find the truth trough the method question-and-answer. The problem with this method is when someone starts to argue with someone else, one of them results defeated for his own arguments. To avoid problems or be defeated, he said that he prefer use this method of question-and-answer “to seek the truth with God’s help in peace and propriety by questioning and answering myself”. So, He didn’t fight with other using this method, he preferred to talk to himself and get his own answers.

Is knowledge possible?

This question was one of the most important questions of the skeptical Platonists before Augustine appearance and he was attracted to it. According these two quotations the knowledge is possible in the Augustine’s perspectives. Although, he could be looking for the knowledge since different perspectives, he could go trough the reason or religion, or trough the platonic method of question-and-answer, he will get the knowledge necessary to live in peace and have a good relationship with God. I believe myself Augustine found a way to relate the philosophy of those years and the religious environment of the church of that time, as something good and positive for the spiritual developing of himself, people of the fourth century and the people of twenty first century.

If so what appears to make it possible for Augustine?

I think Augustine used the Platonic method of question-and-answer to get the knowledge about the theology he developed in those years. This method help you to develop a thinking activity, so Augustine used a creative psychological processing to get knowledge and answer the problems and situations around him in those times. He was a peaceful man but was open to other resources, and instead he didn’t know Greek, he tried the Greek philosophical thought and the religion to get the knowledge still in his own language, the Latin. 

How does knowledge and/or truth relate to being according to Augustine?

Augustine tried to get knowledge since different ways or perspectives, according the circumstances around him, he used the religion, the philosophy his own understanding trying to get that knowledge that could give him the peace he needed and the truth according the times he had to lived. For Augustine knowledge and truth were related because the knowledge was the road to arrive the goal of his life, the truth.