MIDTERM PREP Flashcards
(13 cards)
What are augustines intiial views on astrology and what changes them
1) liked astrology, similar concept to soothsaying without the need for animal sacrifice (which he firmly believed against as a manichean)
2) later found it problematic because astrologers try to remove accountability from the inidivual sinner by attributing the sin to the heaven in pre existence
3) came across doctor who convinced him against astrology
4) finally meets friend firminess and becomes completely opposed to astrology after finding that a slave and a rich man can be born at the same time and live very different lives
5) also story of twins in the bible who grew up to live very different lives
what is the story of augustines friend + earthly objects
has a friend, converts him to manicheasim, friend almost dies, is baptized in almost death, wakes up, Augustine jokes about baptism, friend is not having it, friend dies, Augustine is depressed. Too attached to friend, priorities were not set, started reflecting on earthly things.
waste of time, if you knew the full picture you would not cling to these little things and instead would embrace what god has for you in the film realm of life beyond this earth, all positivity you feel towards these objects and things and people you should feel towards god for he is the creator of all of it
what is the story of augustines grapple with beauty? what are the two kinds
1) stoic view: beauty is symmetry
- rooted in materialist ontology
2) platonist view: beauty is emanation from goodness
- body -> mind -> life
friend dies, questions whether beauty is something that can exist in physical state, adapts definition of beauty to beyond simply symmetry and earthly definitions to an emanation of goodness itself and something more divine. God IS beauty
explain the doctrine of divine simplicity
god does not have attributes, god IS attributes (god is not good, god is goodness itself)
Why did Augustine become a skeptic
1) Faustus (not well read, couldn’t answer questions Augustine had)
2) mani getting exposed (astrology stuff differed from greek astronomy/sceince)
3) manicheese essentially saying to believe parts of new testament and ignore other parts because the testimonies were false (the only reason the new testament has faith is because of the catholic church, the very same church that says not to believe manicheeism)
4) essentially felt that manichees cooudlnt deliver
what are the two kinds of skepticism
academic skepticism: some knowledge is possible but we can’t know anything for certain
pyrrhonian skepticism: complete suspension of judgement entirely
what’s auggies issue with natural philosophy (science)
scientitists are egoful, attributing gods glory to themselves because their little science experiment worked. the misguided religious guy is happier than the correct scientist
story of moving to rome
kids were annoying, went to Rome, lied to mom, mom was upset, got sick almost died, god didn’t let him die a sinner for his mom would have never recovered, instead let him live to find redemption
story of Ambrose/milan
roman kids didn’t pay him so he left, went to Milan, really liked Ambrose but not so much the content, more the way he spoke, content soon became interesting as a result, mother came and he saw how she behaved w him, eventually started drifting away from skepticism to catholicism
how did Augustine overcome skepticism (MID)
1) appreciated that old testomny was based on testimonial evidence, and that the catholic faith was grounded in trust of the christian church (evidentialism)
2) disjuncted objection of skepticism (I know lots of things in the form of either a or b)
3) moral knowledge (I know that I shouldn’t kill innocent people but can’t prove it mathematically)
4) the ‘I exist’ is certain (I exist, ‘what if youre wrong?’, to be wrong requires me to exist)
Epicurus problem of evil + counter
- If God is willing to prevent evil but not able, then He is not omnipotent.
- If God is able to prevent evil but not willing, then He is not benevolent.
- If God is both willing and able, then why does evil exist?
- If He is neither willing nor able, then why call Him God?
augustine: does not take into account that things may even out in the afterlife
2 manichean problems of evil + counters
1) if god has infinite power then how is there a battle between good and bad
response: god allows bad things to happen as a test (Jesus Christ). Everything that happen is permitted to happen alongside the goodness of god
2) if god is the creator of all things then god is the creator of evil things
counter: evil is not substance, evil is the lack of good as a result of free will (cheese example). Evil being is still fundamentally good
ROMAN EDUCATION
- It is aimed at glory and riches rather than true learning. (father sending him away)
- Adults punish children for playing games while they themselves also play.
- Homer glorified bad acts through tales of the gods.
- stupid to read about sins of others without acknowlding ones own
