When1: 396
When2: 427
Who: Augustine
What: priest
Where: Africa
works\ Confessions [400: autobiography]; City of God [426: about Christian society and against any other culture's value]; Reconsiderations [427: sermons and letters]; On the Beautiful and the Fitting [400 to 427]; On Music [400 to 427]; Literal Meaning of Genesis [400 to 427]
Detail: He lived 354 to 430, was Bishop of Hippo Regius (now Annaba, Algeria) [396 to 430], favored monasticism, and argued against pagans, Manichees, Pelagius, and Donatists. He was Neo-Platonist, from Plotinus' ideas, and Apologist. He united Patristic and Greek philosophy, using the psychological principle of internality.
Epistemology
People can infallibly know that they exist, because they can think rightly or wrongly. Sensations postulate perceivers. If people doubt perception content, it proves there is doubter. To be in error, people must exist.
People cannot doubt existence of perception about which they have doubt {method of doubt, Augustine}. Therefore, people know that they have consciousness. Knowing, willing, remembering, living, motivation, thinking, and judging are actions included in doubting and so must exist, too.
People can know their inner experiences: feelings, thoughts, and perceptions. Mental-state self-observation and analysis can lead to truth.
People can doubt that perception contents are real, because they use criteria that they have in themselves: logical laws, standards of good and beautiful, and other truths not derivable from sensation. These criteria are the same for all people and are universally valid. The criteria exist, though they are not material. They are the Ideas of God, in whom they unite. Reason perceives these Ideas, so man has reason. People cannot know how Ideas unite in God and cannot know all Ideas.
People cannot know if they are moving, are at certain place, or are single or multiple.
Senses and reason can know matter and spirit, which unite in self-consciousness.
Becoming conscious of sensation is an act of will, as is realizing an inner state. Will directs memory, imagination, and judgment or reasoning.
To judge or reason, mind receives illumination or revelation from God, because cause must be more active than effect. Truth is gift of God by grace.
Language reflects mind's workings.
Time is subjective, because past is in memory and future is in expectation, which both are in the present.
Ethics
Faith is more important than good deeds. Because there is original sin, man should seek the grace of God and union with God.
Will directs people to be good in general and worthy of grace. Will is free to choose, independently of understanding or knowledge. The only cause of will's choice is itself. Will determines its purposes. Will strives after happiness, and only beholding the truth of God satisfies it. People should lead strict lives to fight evil and help God. People should have faith that reward will be peace in eternity, when person's will suppresses into will of God.
People are responsible for acts done by will. God has foreknowledge of acts but does not cause them or force choice. It is like God remembers them.
Evil is spirit's wrong action, so even intending or desiring to sin is evil. Sin of Adam corrupted all human will, so people are guilty, because will turns toward evil. No one is capable of good on his or her own. This is people's punishment for original sin. Only by the grace of God can people be good or have redemption. No one is worthy and no one can complain. Good only comes from God. The will of God determines which people do good and which evil. Souls have predestination.
Metaphysics
God is highest Being, highest Truth, highest Beauty, and infinite personality. God is omniscient about Ideas. God is omnipotent, because God is all Being. God is completely good, because God is complete attainment of will. God is not in time. Categories used to describe finite nature cannot apply to God, who is indescribable.
Reality has objects, souls, and God. Objects are in space and time. Souls are only in time. God is outside time and space. Universe depends on Ideas, life, and God's will. God makes all things, including time and space. World is matter and spirit.
God makes only good things. Decay causes bad things.
Mind
God causes people to have understanding or enlightenment. Consciousness is unified personality or soul and has one basic activity, which is self-consciousness. Soul has three parts. People's ideas are memories of Ideas. Life is making judgments based on Ideas. Will is motive or force behind life and striving for happiness in God.
Faith, which is assent by will, must precede knowledge, because will prepares self for illumination.
Social Sciences>Philosophy>History>Mind
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Date Modified: 2022.0224